Precisely what makes people feel better these days can be surprising. One section of The Wellery is devoted to ConBody, a “prison-style boot camp” that features ex-convicts leading workouts for $30 a class. The ConBody studio, sheathed in chain link fencing and faux cinder block wallpaper, is across the aisle from the Martone Cycling Company, which sells brightly colored two-speed bicycles that cost $1,200.

Nearby was Sundays, a nail studio that offers guided meditation along with its manicures. And around the corner was Skinney Medspa, a boutique offering “noninvasive body contouring” treatments like CoolSculpting, a weight-loss treatment that freezes fat cells away.

Saks isn’t the first department store to sell wellness treatments alongside haute couture. Nordstrom, the high-end department store chain based in Seattle, has a line of spas offering acupuncture, massages and a treatment billed as a “oxygen boosting facial with skin detox” for $180. Macy’s and Saks both have partnerships with Purebeauty Salon & Spa, a chain offering manicures, massages and waxing.

And in some ways, the new effort is a return to the past. Some 80 years ago, Saks was a pioneer in creating eye-catching retail experiences. In 1935, the department store built an indoor ski slope where instructors offered lessons to customers while selling skis and winter wear.

The new emphasis on wellness comes as Saks’s corporate parent is under siege. An activist investor, Land & Buildings Investment Management, recently took a 4 percent stake in Hudson’s Bay Company, which owns Saks and other department stores including Lord & Taylor.

On Monday, Land & Buildings added pressure, issuing a letter that suggested Hudson’s Bay sell Saks Fifth Avenue. Absent a sale, the investor called on the company to turn the upper floors of the flagship store into high-end residential condos.

Image At The Wellery, nail treatments are accompanied by guided meditation. Credit... Dolly Faibyshev for The New York Times

There are no plans to convert Saks’s flagship into apartments just yet, but Mr. Metrick and his team are overseeing a major overhaul of the store. The first floor, currently occupied by makeup and perfume kiosks, is being turned over to leather goods and accessories. Beauty and fragrances will be moving to the second floor next year.