This unique Portland business is going ‘intergalactic’ with employee-owned structure

A unique Southeast Portland business that lets customers float in tubs of salt water “more buoyant than the Dead Sea” is testing the waters of a new business structure.

Float On, Portland’s largest float tank center, has officially transitioned to an employee-owned cooperative after 14 years as a privately owned business.

The Hawthorne Boulevard destination will now be operated by the Intergalactic Float Cooperative, making it the first employee-owned sensory deprivation center in the world, according to staff and owners.

For $77, customers get 90 minutes to float on their backs in a light- and sound-proof tank filled with salt water, letting them turn off all of their survival senses and allowing the creative parts of their brains to fully engage, promotional material for the business says. (”Can I drown if I fall asleep?” an FAQ on the business’s website asks. Answer: “Nope. Some people fall asleep, but the water is so buoyant you stay afloat.”)

Marshall Hammond, the president of the co-op board, said floating in the deprivation tanks has numerous benefits, adding that customers have told him that use of the tanks relieves their pain and anxiety.

“It really gives you a chance to kind of unplug from all of the stressors in your life, whether that’s your pain or discomfort,” said Hammond. “To turn yourself off from external stimulation and give your nervous system a chance to cool down. It’s just about the most relaxing thing I can think of.”

The shop, located near Southeast 46th Avenue, made the shift on Aug. 1.

The decision to convert to an employee-owned cooperative came after years of discussions among the founders, who wanted the next step for the business to reflect their values.

“We’ve tried to run the business with a certain attitude,” former owner Ashkahn Jahromi said. “An atmosphere where we made sure the staff was treated well and to really have that be a focus.”

Jahromi said that he had looked into selling to a private individual but that didn’t feel right. Eventually he started looking into co-ops and felt that it was a fitting way to transition the business and give the staff autonomy.

The cooperative, comprising staff members with tenure ranging from three to 11 years, will make decisions through a board of six elected shop employees, one Float On founder and a customer representative in a nod to the company’s community focus.

Hammond, the board president, said the company may grow but for right now, they’re focused on preparing for the holidays.

“A big part of our sales come from the holidays so it will be a very interesting test for us to see how we perform compared to previously,” said Hammond. “To test the waters.”

— Tyler Brown is a breaking news reporter for The Oregonian/OregonLive. You can reach him at tbrown2@oregonian.com or 503-221-8243.