New joint bar, lounge and spa open at Drayton Mills in Spartanburg (2024)

SPARTANBURG — Teacher and Spartanburg native Reid Johnson thought his days of skateboarding and surfing were behind him at age 46. But he said because of treatments he’s bringing to the city, these activities have returned to his lifestyle.

Combining therapies like meditation, cold plunging and breathwork has helped Johnson relieve his pain and inflammation, he said.

Now, he hopes to help Spartanburg residents do the same— while also enjoying the arts and drinking a beverage— with his new business ventures the Habit Beverage Lounge and Flow State.

With his business and life partner Ashley Rushing, who also operates the Bareknuckle Barbershop, Johnson is opening the businesses at the Drayton Mills Marketplace in suite 125 at 1802 Drayton Road in Spartanburg.

The first-of-a-kind space will be home to both the beverage lounge, which will offer not just alcohol but also coffee, smoothies, CBD tonics and mushroom elixirs, and Johnson’s meditative spa Flow State, named for the peace athletes achieve when they're in the zone.

“We want this to be a space for the community to come,” Johnson said. “We don't feel that there's a space like this that exists right now in Spartanburg.”

Starting in early June, the beverage lounge will be open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

He has high hopes for the space. He intends for it to be a fusion of a bar, therapeutic spa, art gallery and music venue, highlighting artists with their work on the walls and musicians filling the air with their talents.

“The energy in the space will be felt. Hopefully, the community embraces that energy,” he said.

But it won’t just be open to local musicians. Johnson said it will also host comedians, poets, trivia contests and karaoke.

Flow Space, which is partnering with California-based company Plungefor equipment, is specifically a sauna, cold plunge and breathwork shop. It will also offer breathwork classes.

Something that makes it special, aside from being in the same space as a bar, is its relative affordability, Johnson said.

He did not specify exact rates but said the treatments it will provide when it opens in mid-June will be more affordable than what is currently available in the surrounding area.

“It's essentially me sharing what I've done to kind of heal myself a bit and give myself some mobility again,” Johnson said.

Although the businesses are new, Johnson isn’t a rookie entrepreneur. He formerly co-owned the yoga space WaveRoom Yoga and has extensive experience in numerous fields. He used to work as a real estate agent and barber and has helped with local beer and music festivals while also being a musician himself.

Plus, his partner Rushing already has a brick-and-mortar business in the same marketplace.

Also a former professional mixed martial arts fighter, she opened the Bareknuckle Barbershop at Drayton Mills Marketplace in 2020. There is a second location in Rock Hill.

With Flow State and the Habit Beverage Lounge, Rushing and Johnson continue their entrepreneurial efforts in Spartanburg.

“We're very excited to open the doors, very excited for people to come in and experience what it is we're offering,” Johnson said. “Whatever brought you in, we hope you leave out with a smile on your face and some type of enlightenment.”