For two decades, Antoinette Marie Johnson, CLA ‘06, has built a career on examining physical space a little closer than most. A self-professed “map nerd,” she's carried that curiosity from her early years working at Google Maps to being named one of the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Most Admired CEOs for her work with globally recognized hospitality brands and restaurant groups.
Today, that very same vision has brought her to a new and unexpected chapter: co-founder of a 7,500-square-foot social bathhouse in the heart of Miami's Wynwood arts district. Grotto Baths, a social hub and state-of-the-art circuit of a circuit of saunas, steam rooms, mineral pools and cold plunges, is slated to launch this October and is already positioning itself as one of Miami’s most anticipated hospitality openings.
For Johnson, it's the latest expression of an idea she's been refining since she was a geography and urban studies major at Temple (with a GIS minor). "I think I use my CLA degree very, very regularly," she said, "specifically in urban planning and urbanism in general. It's put to the test every day: How is something new we're bringing to a place impacting the neighborhood? Is it what the community needs and wants? Is there a way to involve them in the process?"
Those questions form the backbone of Cohere, the hospitality branding and design agency Johnson founded in 2009 that has since helped transform more than 400 million square feet of underused or abandoned space in major urban cities into bustling communal hubs. Today, Cohere has established offices in Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore and, most recently, Miami.
When the team behind Grotto first approached Cohere, Johnson says, the original concept looked a little different than where it ultimately landed: “I had the difficult job of telling them their idea still needed a lot of work.” Part of her role was to challenge the idea and help shape it into something that could be embraced by Miami, and specifically, Wynwood, a vibrant neighborhood known for its eclectic murals and creative community.
As the team lead of brand strategy and creative direction, Johnson was tasked with developing an aesthetic and visitor experience that was cohesive on multiple fronts—a space that is equal parts wellness center and social hub, that evokes the rich history of sauna and bathhouse culture as much as it does Miami’s cool and colorful energy.
Johnson is enthusiastic about tackling that challenge. After spending most of her career in the hotel and restaurant space, she is reinvigorated by the change of pace that Grotto Baths presents. “Bathhouse culture is taking off in New York, and Bathhouse is about to open at the Bellevue in Philly,” she notes. “Some people are skeptical it'll work in Miami—’Miami's already hot, why would people want a sauna?’—but we've really tested that.”
On each of these fronts, early indicators are pointing to success. Ahead of the Grotto Baths’ planned public opening date of October 28th, the group has nearly sold out a multi-tiered early-invitation membership program, only two weeks after rolling it out.
“I'm fortunate to be part of a team of five founding partners,” says Johnson, “and really, my role is literally rooted in [geography and urban studies] and the built environment: Does it fit? Will people accept it? How does it contribute to the landscape of a neighborhood like Wynwood, the arts district?”
One of those founding partners is Chef Erik Oberholtzer, CLA ‘91. Oberholtzer is the co-founder of Tender Greens, a Los Angeles-based fast casual chain that had expanded to over 30 locations before his exit. In 2019, he joined Johnson as a Managing Partner at Cohere. He will oversee food and beverage at Grotto Baths, designing the menu and overseeing their on-site cafe. A Temple psychology graduate, Oberholtzer was inducted into the College of Liberal Arts’ Gallery of Success in 2019. The two, who took very different life and career paths (and majors) to this shared achievement, are a portrait of what is possible with the flexible foundations and broadened perspectives of a liberal arts education.
“What we learned at Temple was vital for that grit you need working on a startup—especially in an industry that’s still blossoming,” says Johnson, “and that’s why we’ve always felt passionate about the liberal arts, especially.” It’s a sentiment that Johnson finds constantly shows up in her work today, from regular run-ins with fellow Owls in the industry to the core set of values that drive her team—further evidence that, as she puts it, “all things connect back to Temple.”