Hand & Stone featured in the Clark Patch

Hand & Stone was recently featured in the Clark Patch in an article titled, "Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa Opens in Clark." In the article, Hand & Stone franchisee Kim Cagle talks about her career transition and her enthusiasm for working in the health and wellness industry. She discusses the membership programs and some of the services that are offered, along with her favorite treatments. She also focuses on their great customer service and their goal to make every guest who walks through the door feel special. Bob McQuillan, VP of Franchise Development for Hand & Stone, talks about how Clark is a thriving market and mentions their expansion plans in New Jersey. Click here to view the full article. 

Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa Opens in Clark

By: Jessica Remo

Kim Cagle couldn't be happier she traded in her law career for the spa.

"I love the idea of working in a positive, happy environment, and I love the health and wellness aspect of massage and facial," Cagle says of her new business, Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa, which opened on Nov. 28 in the Clark Circle shopping complex.

(Read More)

Hand and Stone featured in Entrepreneur Magazine

Hand and Stone was recently featured in an article in Entrepreneur Magazine entitled, “The Crossover: From the corporate world to franchise ownership -- how business owners make the transition.” The article was built from in-depth interviews with franchise executives who later became franchisees in the systems they worked in, including Bob and Denise McQuillan. The article discusses that Bob’s experience of owning a location helps him understand what franchisees must go through to open their own Hand & Stone. Click here to view the article in its entirety.

The Crossover: From the corporate world to franchise ownership -- how business owners make the transition.
By Jason Daley

Bob McQuillan and his wife, Denise, were preparing to open a Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa when a recruiter called. It turns out Hand and Stone was looking for a vice president for franchise sales--a position Bob had held elsewhere--so he entered the corporate and franchisee worlds simultaneously.

While Denise heads up their franchise in Cherry Hill, N.J., Bob has gained a deeper understanding of what the franchisees he's working with are going through.

(Read More)

Hand & Stone Featured in New Jersey Business Journal

Hand & Stone was recently featured in the New Jersey Business Journal in an article titled "NJ-based franchise finds downturn a soothing time to grow" in which Bob McQuillan, VP of Franchise Development, discusses opening 4 Hand & Stone locations in two weeks. He also talks about why holiday season is optimal for growth (great opportunity for gift card sales), and Hand & Stone’s business model of massage – a service that was once considered a luxury, is now affordable and accessible to everyone. A portion of the article is included below and it can be read in its entirety by clicking here.

N.J.-based spa franchise finds downturn a soothing time to grow
By Beth Fitzgerald

Hand & Stone, a New Jersey-based spa franchise targeting customers seeking affordable treatments, is adding four new locations in the next two weeks, bringing the number to 11 in New Jersey and 36 nationwide.

Bob McQuillan, vice president of franchise development, said the pre-holiday season is a key time for new spas to open, with gift cards making up about one-third of the revenue. A new franchise that opens up just before the holidays will get an immediate infusion of cash from the sale of gift cards, he said. Cash flow from gift cards provides working capital “until the business ramps up and revenues increase,” he said. Valentine’s Day, along with Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, also are big holidays for spas selling gift cards, he said.

Hand & Stone was founded in Toms River in 2005, and is now based in Hamilton.

McQuillan said Hand & Stone is aimed at customers who want to be pampered with a massage or a facial, but can’t afford the $150 to $200 per session prices at upscale spas; Hand & Stone offers its services at around $50 to $60 — “a beautiful atmosphere, minus the champagne and the robe,” he said.

The four new locations will be in Cherry Hill, Princeton, Voorhees and Delran.

(Read More)

Franchisee Profile: Kathleen Edwards of Delran, NJ

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How Kathleen Edwards Got Started With Hand & Stone…
Relaxation! Who doesn’t like to relax? Kathleen was accustom to getting massages herself so when she learned that a family friend was working closely with a new franchise that promoted personal wellness, Kathleen listened closer. Kathleen became acquainted with Hand & Stone primarily through her relationship with the new VP of Franchise Development, Bob McQuillan. Once Bob joined Hand & Stone, Kathleen began investigating the franchise opportunity, visited the Marlton spa location and decided that it was a great opportunity for her to become a part of while also pursuing her other passion of teaching.

Kathleen had worked in banking training retail employees when she first discovered her passion for teaching. She trained bank employees on how to do their jobs, but after a while, she came to realize that although she loved the training portion of her job, she wanted to teach children instead.

After 10 years at the bank, she switched focuses to teaching children and became a high school business teacher. She is currently going into her seventh year of teaching and will continue to do so while opening and managing her new Hand & Stone location in Delran.

What Intrigued Kathleen Edwards about Hand & Stone…
The entire concept intrigued Kathleen. As a person who gets massages herself, she knew Hand & Stone was a step ahead of the competition, which helps her feel confident that Hand & Stone will do well in Delran. Kathleen notes that at Hand & Stone, customers will be able to get same-day appointments, make requests for their therapist of choice and pay 1/3 of the cost than at a high-end spa. At her spa, it will be quiet, serene and a nice experience all while providing accessibility and affordability. Her location will look and feel like a high-end spa, but because of the membership model, Hand & Stone is able to keep the cost minimal for its customers.

Something Interesting About Kathleen Edwards’ Story…
Kathleen is excited about her new Hand & Stone location because she will be providing local residents a Daycation experience. They can come to Hand & Stone and get a massage or facial spa service in a relaxing environment as a way to distress for a reasonable price. She believes that this will be a destination for area residents to get away and take some time out for themselves.

Where specifically did Kathleen Edwards learn about Hand & Stone?
For as long as Kathleen can remember she has wanted to own her own business. Through the years, she had looked into franchising, but the concepts always seem to involve food. She really wanted to wait for an opportunity that was exactly what she was looking for, although she wasn’t all that sure what that would entail.

When a family friend had mentioned he was joining the corporate team of a franchise called Hand & Stone, Kathleen got curious. She had gotten massages before and loved how she felt afterwards and the relaxing feel of the spas that she had visited.

What made Hand & Stone attractive to Kathleen is the massage for the masses concept of affordability and accessibility. Hand & Stone offers customers a low price point for the same type of massage you would receive in a high-end spa, and the spa looks and feels just like a spa you would experience at a high-end spa as well.

Hand & Stone reaching out into Fairfield County

Hand & Stone was recently featured in the Stamford Advocate in an article called “Hand & Stone reaching out into Fairfield County.” Hand & Stone is moving into Fairfield County with plans to bring seven franchised locations to the area and 13-15 throughout the entire state. The first of the locations will be owned by Pam Wallace, who holds a master's in business administration degree from Harvard University, chose Hand & Stone out of a dozen franchise possibilities because of its specially priced monthly massage membership. Check out the article here:

Hand & Stone reaching out into Fairfield County

Fairfield County residents soon may have seven more reasons to feel better.


Hand & Stone, a Hamilton, N.J.-based massage and facial spa franchise, plans to open that many locations in Fairfield County in the next two years.

"We see the most growth opportunities in Fairfield County," said Bob McQuilian, Hand & Stone's vice president of franchise development. "It's very much a suburban type of location." (Read More)

How Hand & Stone Adjusted to the New Economy

Bob McQuillan, Vice President of Franchise Development for Hand & Stone

Over the past two years, the state of franchising has changed quite a bit. Positively, a new report just released by the U.S. Census says that 10.5% of U.S. businesses are franchises, which indicates a large percentage of people are still continuing to turn to franchising. However, the tightened credit crisis has been the main contributor to the change in the franchising industry, but Hand & Stone is doing some innovative things to keep growing amidst a tough economy.

From the franchise level, we’ve gone back to basics. We are developing and leveraging strategic relationships in the franchise industry to help foster the growth of our business. We are turning to business coaches (franchise brokers) to help bridge the relationship with prospective franchisees, and we work very closely with them to get their clients into our system.

One of the negative effects of the economy has been the ability for a franchisee to get financed in a new business. We (the franchisor) are pulling out all the stops for franchisees – leasing arrangements, home equity loans, and 401k rollover programs are some of the ways that we are helping aid first-time business owners in the process, and thus, we’ve been fortunate to recruit a very sophisticated group of franchisees.

Additionally, Hand & Stone is experiencing a very positive effect from corporate America down-sizing, as we are seeing more qualified prospective franchisees with a very sophisticated set of skills that enables them to be a perfect fit for our type of business. As companies continue to offer early retirement packages or downsize their current workforce, companies like Hand & Stone will be a good place for them to turn to and utilize those skill sets.

Hand and Stone featured in Philadelphia Business Journal

Hand & Stone was just featured in the Philadelphia Business Journal because of its success helping franchisees save money! With the economy in a rough patch, Hand & Stone is pitching in where it can to support their franchisees. Check a portion of the story below or read the entire article here:

In a slow year, franchisors cut deals to keep growing
Philadelphia Business Journal - by Sonja Sherwood Staff Writer

With business loans still hard to come by, franchisors unwilling to sacrifice growth are making their systems more affordable to new owners by reducing franchise fees, offering incentives, providing in-house financing or scrutinizing their business model for savings that can be shared throughout the system.

Hand & Stone, a Hamilton, N.J.-based spa concept with eight locations in the Philadelphia area, saves each franchisee tens of thousands of dollars on average by negotiating favorable rent and cashback from the landlord for tenant improvements.

“A lot of landlords have got a lot more vacancy than they used to,” said Bob McQuillan, vice president for franchise development. “There’s not a lease that we’ve done that we haven’t received money back from the landlord.” (Read More)

The Richmond Times-Dispatch recently wrote about Hand & Stone!

Hand & Stone spa chain eyeing Richmond area
Louis Llovio
Jun 04, 2010

Hand & Stone, a New Jersey-based chain of spas, is looking to move into the Richmond area.

The company wants to add several locations in the market by the end of next year. It is in the process of finding space and franchisees.

As part of its expansion plans, Hand & Stone wants to open 30 spas in the state within three years, including eight in Richmond. (Read More)