By Ellen Spitaleri
Looking for a place to leave all your worries behind or a spot where you can let go of all those aches and pains? If so, Float On has you covered—or nearly covered in 10 inches of skin-temperature water that will help make all your cares float away.
Float On features six tanks of various sizes, each holding 10 inches of water saturated with 850 pounds of Epsom salt, creating an environment that keeps you floating on your back, half in and half out of the water. The tank is soundproof, the air flows freely and the door never locks.
And what will you feel? Nothing. That is the goal: no sound, no light, complete darkness—only nothingness.
“We are living in stressful times. We’re constantly bombarded with information, and much of what we read and hear and see on our screens is not very pleasant, and it takes a mental and physical toll,” said Marshall Hammond, president of Float On’s Co-op Board of Directors.
“It’s important to be able to disconnect from all that, to be able to take some time to be alone with yourself, to process, to let go, to relax and recharge. It makes life much more manageable and much more pleasant,” he added.
For Hammond, what is most rewarding about being part of Float On “is knowing that I’m part of a business where every single day we’re making people feel better.” He added that Float On has regular customers who have done hundreds of 90-minute sessions and really appreciate the experience.
Hammond noted that he and every employee have had dozens of heart-warming experiences with customers, including when they come up to him in tears, telling him that this is the first time in years they have experienced relief from physical pain. “We’ve had people come in who are grieving the loss of a loved one, people who maybe have difficulty letting their emotions come to the surface, and they’ll have an emotional breakthrough in the tank,” he said.
“Sometimes our floaters tell us years later that floating has changed their lives, or even saved their lives, if it helped them through a really tough time,” Hammond added.
He further noted that when pregnant women float, they often report that they felt a connection to their babies in the tank, in addition to the relief they experienced from physical pains associated with pregnancy.
Float On first came about when Quinn Zepeda, one of the founders, tried floating in California, loved it and suggested to his friend Graham Talley that they open a tank center when they moved to Portland. They brought in two other friends, and Float On opened in 2010 as a small operation with only four float tanks. When it first opened, construction wasn’t even finished and some of the rooms lacked proper doors, Hammond said.
The business is now twice as big, expanding into the space next door and adding two more float tanks that are larger and more luxurious, he noted.
In addition, the business became an employee-owned cooperative last August. “We’re still adjusting to our new roles as owners. One of our goals is to be able to pay all of our employees what is considered a living wage in Portland,” Hammond said. “We have a long way to go before we’ll be able to reach that goal,” he added.
Hammond noted that potential customers should visit Float On’s website to learn about the different styles of float tanks, sanitation procedures and membership options.
The experience at Float On is meant to be a solo one, Hammond said, adding, that “it’s about being alone with yourself and letting your mind go inward.” Float On is open Monday, 5:30 pm-midnight and Tuesday-Sunday, 8 am-midnight.
Float On
4530 SE Hawthorne Blvd.
503.384.2620
floaton.coop
Float On’s lobby, pictured above, is a serene environment, welcoming those who are awaiting a 90-minute float in one of the establishment’s six tanks. Photo by Taylor Nichols.
