Driftwood Sauna Club, a family-owned sauna business in Milwaukee’s Harbor District, burned down in an early morning fire March 20.
Owner Derek Collins said the 40-foot sauna at 820 S. Water St. caught fire around 5 a.m. Friday, March 20. Unaware, Collins arrived at the site later that morning to set kindling when he saw it in ruin.
“It was really devastating,” Collins said. “I was in such disbelief.”
The Milwaukee Fire Department responded to the scene and told WISN-12 News the cause of the fire is under investigation. Nobody was inside the building, and no firefighters were injured.
The fire department said a nearby boater alerted them to the fire but initially gave an incorrect address.
Driftwood Sauna Club opened on Feb. 21 and quickly became a popular neighborhood spot to relax and socialize. Its opening day party on March 7 drew more than 100 people, Collins said.
Driftwood featured two saunas equipped with Bluetooth speakers, as well as a cold plunge. Collins wanted to create a casual atmosphere that encouraged easy conversation between customers.
Driftwood was one of a number of saunas open to the public that have become increasingly popular.
A Shorewood resident has invited neighborhood women to share her backyard sauna and received interest from dozens. A new proposal calls for redevelopment of a Historic Third Ward warehouse into a spa and restaurant.
Collins runs multiple small businesses across Milwaukee, including Milwaukee Peddle & Paddle Tavern, Brew City Kayak and Milwaukee By Bike. But Driftwood was the first business Collins opened without the help of a partner, and he worked on it every day for six months.
“It was a passion project,” Collins said.
Relatives of Collins have set up a GoFundMe to help rebuild the business. Collins has insurance on the business, but it likely won’t cover the full loss. The saunas were not salvageable.
Collins said he appreciates the outpouring of support from customers, loved ones and community members. He may hold a fundraiser in the near future, and he’d love to reopen the business someday.
But that doesn’t make rebuilding any less difficult.
“I put everything into it, and I was working on it basically nonstop,” he said. “That’s not replaceable.”
Francesca Pica can be reached at fpica@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee’s Driftwood Sauna Club in Harbor District destroyed in overnight fire
Reporting by Francesca Pica, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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