Fitness chain Upswell sells two studios, faces $183K lawsuit

A pair of Denver fitness and sauna studios have changed hands, while the chain's original location is tied up in a landlord dispute. Upswell, a wellness club founded by former CorePower Yoga executive Heather Holland, sold its RiNo and Central Park locations to Spavia, a locally based massage and spa chain. Holland joined Spavia as chief operating officer in June, she said.

The sale did not include the South Broadway studio, which has been closed since October and is now the subject of a lawsuit. Landlord Steven Cook alleges Upswell owes $183,000 in back rent, according to a complaint filed in Denver District Court. Holland declined to comment on the specifics of the case but said the company's response will reflect "more than two years of consistent, good faith effort to work collaboratively toward practical solutions."

The two sold locations are being rebranded as Sway, a new Spavia concept that opened its first spot on Larimer Square earlier this year. Sway will keep the saunas, cold plunges, and compression therapy Upswell offered, add massage and skin care services, and replace yoga studios with treatment rooms. The RiNo and Central Park spaces are now undergoing cosmetic renovations, with full operations expected by the end of summer, Holland said.

Holland described the transaction as a founder's decision to let the concept evolve. "It's this entrepreneur and founder moment to not hold onto an idea in its original form forever," she told BusinessDen. "And the idea now is to give neighborhood wellness a chance to outlive me and its original form."