“I’m thrilled to be opening our first
Hand & Stone spa in Emerson,” said Jeff Silbert, owner of the new location. “I am looking forward to bringing affordable
and effective massage and facial services to the community of Emerson and its
neighboring towns such as Westwood, Oradell, and Washington township.”
Launched in 2005 by John Marco, a physical therapist with 20 years of
experience,
Hand & Stone’s mission is to bring massage therapy to the
masses. Clients enjoy the treatment, but "most aren't just coming for the
indulgence," Leff said. "They're coming for stress reduction and pain
relief, and many on the suggestion of their doctors."
Under the new provisions of the recently-passed health care bill, alternative
medical procedures, including massages from licensed therapists at spas like
Hand & Stone, are being taken more seriously by the traditional medical
community. According to Leff, about 75 percent of health savings account plans and
HMOs will now reimburse patients for massage therapy if their doctor writes a
formal prescription. Ailments worthy of that prescription include muscle and
joint pain, Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (commonly known as TMJ), and
stress. According to the 2010 AMTA
Industry Report massage use among older Baby Boomers (ages 55-64) has doubled
in the past ten years and use among those older than 65 has tripled during that
same time.
While the typical massage client used to have to track down a freelance massage
therapist, schedule an appointment days in advance, and pay over $100 for a
one-hour treatment, most
Hand & Stone clients book their appointments on
the same day as service and pay 30 percent less than the traditional hourly
rate. Better yet, when they sign up for
a one-session-per-month plan, they end up paying around $60 per visit.
The average customer isn't a wealthy socialite with nothing better to do, she's
a 42-year-old female with an annual household income of $65,000, has children
and loves to shop at Target and Kohls. With that busy, overscheduled lifestyle, it’s not surprising that the
number one reason clients visit
Hand and Stone is for stress reduction.
Hand & Stone's clientele is roughly 70
percent female, 30 percent male, with an increasing number of male patrons.
As massage spas become more mainstream in the health care industry,
Hand & Stone stays at the top of the game by adding locations and services to keep the
brand fresh. That strategy has proven to be successful, as the addition of
facials and waxing to the services roster has boosted the average comparable
store sales by over 40 percent during this past year, in a very tough economic
environment. After awarding a record 40
new franchises in 2010, Leff expects to sign another 50 new franchisees to the
Hand & Stone system this year, each one investing a total of around $325,000,
including franchise fees, to outfit a suburban, strip-mall location with space
for at least 10 massage rooms.
"Twenty-two percent of Americans got a massage in 2009, and that figure is
growing. As massage becomes a more
integrated part of health care, we see this business achieving even
wider-spread growth and longevity," said Leff.
ABOUT HAND &
STONE
Hand & Stone
is a 50-plus unit massage and facial spa franchise with a mission to bring
massage and facial services to the masses, meeting demand of consumers who wish
to receive the long term health benefits of these services. Launched in
2005 by a passionate physical therapist, John Marco and now led by franchise
veteran Todd Leff, Hand & Stone now has locations in 12 states and Canada
with plans to open an additional 20 locations by the end of 2011. For
more information on Hand & Stone, visit
www.handandstone.com.
