Richmond is Slowing Down: Inside Pyre’s Sauna & Cold Plunge Community #045

April 25, 2026 · 1:08:26 read

Category: Arts & Culture

Show: Unscripted RVA

Learn more and book a session: https://pyresauna.com Use code VERAHOUSE for 15% off Follow Pyre on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pyre_sauna Got thoughts? Send us a text here: https://www.buzzsp

Learn more and book a session:

https://pyresauna.com

Use code VERAHOUSE for 15% off

Follow Pyre on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/pyre_sauna

Got thoughts? Send us a text here:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2513071/open_sms

In this episode, we sit down with Julien Robert and Wes McLaughlin, founders of Pyre Sauna — a new social wellness concept in Richmond, Virginia built around wood-fired sauna, cold plunge, and intentional community.

Pyre is not a traditional gym or spa. It’s a tech-free space designed to help people slow down, disconnect, and reconnect — with themselves and with others.

We talk about the rapid growth of Richmond, how modern life has made people more disconnected than ever, and why spaces like Pyre are starting to emerge as a response.

Julien and Wes share the origin story behind Pyre, from a sauna experience in Charlottesville to traveling internationally and studying bathhouse culture across Europe. They explain how ancient sauna traditions are being adapted into a modern, community-driven experience here in Richmond.

We also get into the real benefits of sauna and cold plunge — not just physical recovery, but mental clarity, emotional regulation, and what they call “capacity building.”

Subscribe to the audio podcast:

https://verahouse.buzzsprout.com

Follow us:

https://instagram.com/verahouse.co

Hosted by Myke Metzger & Perri Young:

https://instagram.com/mykemetzger

https://instagram.com/planetperri

Learn more about our studio:

https://verahouse.co

This podcast is produced by ⁠Vera House⁠ — a creative club and media studio based in Richmond, Virginia. Our studio exists to champion creative expression, elevate culture, and produce high-impact content for founders, makers, and modern brands in Richmond.

Cast: https://verahouse.buzzsprout.com