National contrast therapy brand opening studio in Huntsville

Huntsville Real-Time NewsThe Shops at Merchants Walk is at 920 Bob Wallace Avenue SW in Huntsville.RCP CompaniesBy Scott Turner | sturner@al.comA nationally known contrast therapy brand is opening a studio to Huntsville.RCP Companies announced Friday that SWTHZ will open a studio at The Shops at Merchants Walk. The Shops at Merchants Walk is anchored by Whole Foods Market at 920 Bob Wallace Avenue SW. The studio will occupy approximately 3,457 square feet in Suite 310 and is expected to open later this year.SWTHZ specializes in private, science-backed recovery. Each client books a private contrast therapy suite equipped with a full-spectrum infrared sauna, a cold plunge, a vitamin C shower and an in-suite entertainment system, with sessions of up to 60 minutes reserved through the brand’s proprietary app.SWTHZ photoSWTHZ specializes in private, science-backed recovery. Each client books a private contrast therapy suite equipped with a full-spectrum infrared sauna, a cold plunge, a vitamin C shower and an in-suite entertainment system, with sessions of up to 60 minutes reserved through the brand’s proprietary app. Select studios also offer red light therapy, and every location includes a post-session beauty bar stocked with Dyson air tools. Founded in 2019, SWTHZ began franchising in 2022 and crossed the 100-studio milestone in 2026, with locations in more than 25 states and over 1.52 million hours of private recovery sessions delivered in 2025 alone.The Huntsville studio will be owned and operated by Lindsay and Ryan Hirsowitz, health and wellness entrepreneurs expanding their SWTHZ presence into the Huntsville area following the success of their first location in Birmingham. Lindsay is a licensed physical therapist and wellness entrepreneur whose background spans healthcare, business development and operations, with a focus on creating accessible, high-quality wellness experiences. Ryan is a retired dentist who spent more than a decade in active practice, building and operating as many as three practice locations at one time. Together they bring a combination of clinical expertise, entrepreneurial experience and hands-on business leadership to the brand.“As a physical therapist, I spent years talking to patients about the importance of recovery, but too often saw how difficult it was for them to actually make it part of their routine.,” said Lindsay Hirsowitz, operator of SWTHZ. “That’s the gap we’re working to fill with SWTHZ, and we’re excited to bring accessible, purposeful recovery to Huntsville.”Men’s Wellness of North Alabama will also open at The Shops at Merchants Walk. Founded by Joshua Rogers MS, MPAS, PA-C, the veteran-owned practice provides comprehensive healthcare for men, including concierge primary care, preventive medicine, hormone optimization, fertility medicine, weight management and hair restoration, delivered through in-person visits, telehealth consultations and personalized lab work. The Merchants Walk location expands the practice’s reach into the Huntsville market and adds a clinical complement to the center’s growing wellness and fitness lineup, RCP said.“Adding SWTHZ and Men’s Wellness in the same year tells you where this center is going and we’re excited to add them to this strong center,” added Nadia Niakossary, senior diirector of development for RCP Companies. “Health and wellness have become one of our strongest categories, and both of these are owner-operated businesses with real depth behind them. Lindsay and Ryan proved the model in Birmingham, and landing that caliber of operator for their second market says a lot about where Huntsville is right now.”Together, the two openings deepen a health and wellness cluster at Merchants Walk that includes Whole Foods, Orange Theory Fitness, Healthsource, StretchLab, Masters Salon, and Salons by JC.The Shops at Merchants Walk and Merchants Square comprise about 135,000 square feet of boutique shopping and dining.Scott Turner covers growth, economic development in the Huntsville area for AL.com and the Huntsville Times. A veteran journalist, his career includes coverage of politics, environmental, military, veteran,...