A Denver-based spa concept that pairs private soaking suites with a craft beer and wine taproom is coming to Las Vegas, with local operators scouting locations in the Arts District for the brand's first franchise outside Colorado. Andrew Lanzino and Gina Lanzino signed on to develop Oakwell Beer Spa's local franchise and are considering potential spaces along the neighborhood's walkable stretch of galleries, bars and breweries.
Oakwell describes itself as a brand that pairs private spa suites with a craft beer and wine taproom, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The company was founded by Jessica and Damien Zouaoui after the pair spent 14 months traveling across 25 countries and encountered traditional beer baths in Poland in 2018, according to PR Newswire. That trip planted the seed for a business built around a wellness ritual with roots stretching back over a thousand years, to 921 AD in the Czech Republic, where Duke Wenceslas I reportedly bathed in brewery sludge before the practice spread across Central and Eastern Europe, per Oakwell Beer Spa's own account of the tradition's history.
No Massage Therapists Required
Unlike a conventional day spa, Oakwell's model sidesteps one of the industry's biggest headaches: staffing. The brand eliminates reliance on licensed service providers like massage therapists by leaning on self-pour taproom technology, automated zero-gravity massage chairs and self-guided hydrotherapy suites, according to Franchising Magazine USA. That structure is designed to solve the labor bottlenecks that often slow down traditional spas reliant on licensed estheticians and therapists.
The signature soak isn't actually beer. The hydrotherapy tubs use warm, unfermented water infused with hops, barley and seasonal herbs rather than actual beer or yeast, while alcoholic drinks are served separately in insulated tumblers or straight from the taproom, per Oakwell Beer Spa. Hops and barley are used in the soak for their antioxidant and skin-soothing properties, not for fermentation.
A Franchisee With Deep Vegas Roots
Andrew Lanzino brings an unusually resort-heavy résumé to the venture. He held the role of senior vice president of strategy and citywide events at MGM Resorts International, where, prior to acquiring the franchise, he managed major citywide activations including Super Bowl LVIII, the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix and New Year's Eve on the Strip, according to Nevada Business Magazine. He was later appointed chief growth officer at AREA15 in October 2025, per the same outlet.
Lanzino is also a U.S. Air Force veteran who moved to Las Vegas in 2004, earned his MBA at UNLV and currently teaches strategy and implementation at UNLV's Harrah College of Hospitality, according to PR Newswire. He is additionally a Ph.D. candidate in hospitality at UNLV, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal, and has said Oakwell could become part of the Arts District community. His wife, Gina Lanzino, is founder and president of 5678 Dance, a Las Vegas nonprofit supporting local dancers, per the Review-Journal.
Why the Arts District Makes Sense
The Arts District's appeal for a hybrid spa-and-taproom concept isn't hard to explain. The neighborhood features a designated Brewery Row along Main Street, home to craft breweries like Hop Nuts Brewing, Able Baker Brewing and Nevada Brew Works, according to a Los Angeles Times report on the district's evolution into a walkable off-Strip dining and drinking hub popular with locals.
Oakwell opened its first location in Denver in 2021 and a second corporate site in Highlands Ranch, a community in the greater Denver area, in April 2024, per the Review-Journal. The Las Vegas deal marks the brand's first franchise agreement outside Colorado, and the company is also pursuing franchise expansion in Boston, Kansas City, Phoenix, Detroit, Austin, Atlanta and Charleston, South Carolina, as it works toward a long-term goal of reaching more than 100 target growth markets nationwide, according to PR Newswire.
What It Costs to Open One
Opening a single Oakwell franchise isn't cheap. The initial investment starts at $1.2 million for a 3,000-to-4,000-square-foot footprint, with an average ticket of roughly $300 spread across spa treatments, taproom sales and retail, according to Franchising Magazine USA's reporting on the brand's financials.
The concept has also drawn a customer base that looks different from a typical day spa's. Oakwell reports that roughly 45 percent of its visitors are men, 95 percent are couples and 80 percent are first-time spa guests, according to Spa Business. For now, Andrew and Gina Lanzino are still scouting spaces for their first Oakwell location, with the Arts District among the sites under consideration as they work to bring the concept to Southern Nevada.
