[Movers & Shakers] Nick Brown of FlowCycle Is Creating Bali in SH

You've probably seen or heard about these new health and wellness clubs that are popping up in Bali, or in upscale neighborhoods in New York City and London. You've probably seen these beauty or fitness influencers post about these "city oasis" wellness clubs that have taken the concept of a "gym club" to a different level. We're talking ice baths, saunas, restaurants, smoothie stations, workspaces, with regular events to make use of the various community spaces that are connected to... yes... a gym. Shanghai has one of these now, and it was started by Nick Brown, a high-energy fitness entrepreneur who some of you may already know from the community he's built around FlowCycle.

We sat down with Nick (post-training session, of course) to learn more about his backstory, inspiration for opening HASA House and bringing global wellness offerings to Shanghai, and to get the lowdown on why HASA House – and the health & wellness space in Shanghai in general... is on the way up.

CNS: What brought you to Shanghai?

So before I came to Shanghai, I was actually trying to pursue a professional golf career, but I wasn't quite good enough at the time, I'd say. As a backup, however, I studied landscape architecture and urban planning at university, and got a master's degree in that to become a landscape architect. While I was playing and competing in golf, I discovered spinning! I soon became a coach at XYZ in Hong Kong – one of the first studios in Asia at the time, and still going strong now. I fell in love with spinning, and after a year of being a spinning coach, I moved to Shanghai to coach at a studio here and jumped on that opportunity.

That was about 10 years ago. At the time, I honestly didn't know how long I would stay, but I quickly fell in love with the city. That particular studio that I started with, however, went bankrupt, so I went back to HK for spinning and golf. Later, however, my cousin and soon-to-be business partner started FlowCycle in Shanghai and Korea, which I eventually joined to help found; that was about seven years ago, and FlowCycle has been going ever since.

Shanghai has always been a place where people are open to new ideas and experiences, and I think that really helped me grow both personally and professionally. There were constant opportunities that just led to me staying so long.

CNS: So... even before Shanghai, fitness your thing?

Yeah, I think fitness has always been part of my life. I was a very sporty kid growing up, and a lot of that came from my dad. He was always active and would bring me along everywhere – whether it was the golf course, hiking, or swimming.

Growing up in Hong Kong, he would even make me run alongside him while he cycled. Looking back, I think that's where my love for movement came from. It was never really about exercise itself, but more about the experiences and memories created through sport.

CNS: What inspired the idea for HASA House, and what were the steps that led to launching the business?

The idea for HASA House came from seeing how fitness and wellness spaces were evolving overseas. I was inspired by places like Nirvana Life, Soho House, and Bambu Fitness in Bali, where fitness was only one part of the experience. In these types of wellness centers, it's even more about the lifestyle and community where people come together.

I wanted to bring that feeling to Shanghai – a place where people don't just come in, do a workout, and leave. Somewhere they can train, eat, recover, socialize, and actually want to spend time.

CNS: You are also the co-founder of FlowCycle. How did that get started?

Before FlowCycle, my cousin and I were working at another spinning studio. When that studio eventually closed, one of the clients approached my cousin with the idea of starting something new. They started building the concept and eventually brought me into the business.

That became FlowCycle, and it was my first real experience as an entrepreneur. It taught me a lot, not just about running a business, but about the importance of creating a community and making people feel like they belong.

CNS: How do you describe the "Bali gym club" atmosphere that you wanted to bring to Shanghai?

Imagine the energy of a Bali wellness club, but placed in the middle of Shanghai. It's a place where you can start your morning with a workout, grab a quality coffee, relax after a sauna and ice bath, meet friends, enjoy music in the evening, or simply spend time away from the pace of the city.

CNS: How did you come up with the idea of bringing "Bali" into one of Shanghai's historic villas? Was it challenging doing the renovation?

About renovating this historic villa: yeah, definitely. There were huge challenges. The biggest one was actually reinforcement, because the building is really historic, a house from something like 100 years ago. There were areas that needed a lot of attention, especially the floors. There were loads of cracks and holes, so we had to add an additional layer just to make it safe and structurally sound, especially on the second floor, since we've got two floors here.

Then there was the roof. We wanted to conserve as much of it as possible, since it's a really beautiful roof; that was another challenge. We wanted to preserve as much of the original character as we could, but at the same time make it safe and functional, and make sure it wouldn't leak.

There's always a balance between protecting the historical elements and adapting the space for modern use. I think that's probably the biggest lesson. With an old building, a heritage building, you have to respect what's already there, but also can't be afraid to reinforce and adapt to make it work for today. Yeah, quite a few challenges on that front.

CNS: Okay, great, so can we get a tour then?

Sure, sure, follow me. Let's stop at our restaurant first.

CNS: Okay Tell us about it

First, we have the main dining space, which we did a collaboration with Chef Jun Nishiyama, a lot of people probably know him from his popularity at Sage and now Rambu. Queenie, Ruby, and I have actually been fans of Chef Jun from day one, since his days at Sage, and we've continued to follow him and what he's doing at Rambu. We also loved how creative he is with his dishes, and more importantly, we really liked his personality. He's a really sound guy, and we liked his approach to things. So when we were developing our kitchen, we felt his style and personality aligned very well with what we wanted to create. So yeah, it felt like a very natural partnership.

In addition to the restaurant, we also have things like snacks, and frozen yogurt.

CNS: And then another core component is fitness training, classes and the gym right?

Yes, we make full use of gym training and fitness areas where we provide structured hybrid training programs designed to build strength, endurance, and overall athletic performance. After work-outs people can also help with body recovery using the sauna, cold baths, etc.

CNS: You mentioned before, that these higher end wellness clubs also put a lot into developing community. And I see a lot of spaces here that seem to be where people are working, or hanging out.

Yea, so community building has always been part of what I have done in Shanghai, from the beginning of FlowCycle, to now.

CNS: And I guess this rooftop terrace plays a big part in this?

Yes! It's the best spot for events and/or gatherings! And we use the space dynamically throughout the day. In the morning, it's a place for coffee and conversation. During the day, it becomes a place to relax after training, enjoy a meal, or even catch up on work on the laptop, hence why you see a lot of people working now. In the evening, it transforms into a social space where people can unwind, connect, and enjoy the atmosphere with a glass of wine in hand.

CNS: I think I know where this is going. For Shanghai, a place like this needs a DJ, doesn't it?

Yep! It's where we bring music, drinks, and culture into the experience. With a vinyl bar, cocktails, wine, and social events, it represents the balance between living well and having fun. Having fun is an extremely important part of living a healthy life.

So yea, Shanghai has always been a great place to build a network, and make connections with people all over the world. I wanted to bring a little bit of that "bali style" flavor of health and wellness to Shanghai's downtown, and what way to make it even more "Shanghai" but to do it in a rennovated villa. Only in Shanghai.

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Lane 56, 22 Donghu Rd 东湖路56弄22号一层