The Nordic Nook Offers Winter Oasis in Golden Valley
In the back yard of a Golden Valley home, Craig Ringsven constructed an outdoor oasis of sorts.
“I can’t even tell you how many hours, total, have been put into it,” Ringsven said. “But probably well over a thousand.”
Ringsven started this home improvement project during the COVID shutdown of 2020. He began with a sauna, followed it up with a plunge pond, and then it just started to grow.
“We thought long and hard about coming up with one word to describe the whole area, and oasis was the best we’d come up with,” Ringsven said.
A year and a half ago, several friends convinced him and his wife, Amy, to turn his backyard oasis into a business. They called it The Nordic Nook.
The business now serves as a getaway for anyone who wants to explore the therapeutic benefits of a sauna in the middle of a Minnesota winter.
So far, it’s had well over 1,000 bookings.
“I don’t even believe it when I hear it,” Ringsven said. “I think we originally thought hey if we can get a couple bookings a week, a little extra fun money, a fun side hustle. But yeah it’s just been crazy.”
The Nordic Nook is just one of many sauna-related businesses to pop up across the state in recent years. Part of the appeal is the number of amenities offered on site.
“Here we have the yurt, this is where guests first come,” he said.
The yurt, which is essentially an insulated tent, has a wood burning stove and seating area where guests can relax.
Craig Ringsven owns The Nordic Nook, which is an oasis located in the back yard of his Golden Valley home.
Outside of the yurt, there’s a plunge pond where the water is kept around 39 degrees. Ringsven says a dip in the cold water helps with muscle soreness.
And of course, you have the sauna, which is the big draw for the 30 bookings they get per week. The temperature in the sauna is kept between 180 and 200 degrees. Ringsven, who works full-time as a physical therapist, says the heat has positive cardiovascular effects and improves circulation.
“I think the hot/cold therapy is really catching on right now,” he said. “There’s lots of good research out there to show the health benefits.”
So whether the customers come to improve their flexibility, to relax, or to spend time with one of Ringsven’s three huskies, it’s turned into a nice side business in the back yard of his Golden Valley home.
“We’ve had people from all over the country, six or seven different countries around the world,” he said. “So yeah, mind blown.”
For a look at rates, or to book a visit, you can find more information on The Nordic Nook website.
The inside of The Nordic Nook sauna is kept between 180-200 degrees.
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