Hand & Stone on PENN Live

We were featured on the online version of PENN Live. The article was a feature piece on Hand &Stone Massage and Facial Spa opening in the Harrisburg, Penn., area and expanding into central Pennsylvania. Todd Leff, president and CEO of Hand & Stone talked about the opening and what Harrisburg residence can expect from the new location.

Read the full article here.

Franchisee Spotlight: Conne Lineman, Montgomeryville, PA

On Nov. 25, 2013, Connie Lineman will be opening a Hand and Stone location in Montgomeryville, Pa. The spa will be Lineman’s first business ownership venture, but she’ll be in good company; her business partner, Maripat Mowry, comes from a experienced franchising family and has her own Hand and Stone spa in Warrington, Pa.

Connie Lineman is a long-time resident of Pennsylvania, having grown up in the Warminster, Pa. area and attended college at Wilkes University. After graduating in 1993, she began working for Cottman Transmission, where she first met the Mowry family – Maripat worked in accounting for the automotive franchise, and Maripat’s husband, Greg, was Lineman’s boss. She continued working with the company until 2010, when she was offered a promotion with MAACO in King of Prussia, Pa. However, when the company relocated, Lineman decided to forgo moving and instead, stayed in the area.

Not long after, Lineman ran into the Mowrys at an event and the former colleagues began talking about business opportunities. Maripat mentioned that she was hoping to open expand with a second location of her already successful Hand and Stone spa and asked Lineman whether she wanted to get involved. Lineman accepted the offer and the two signed on to open a spa in Montgomeryville.

How did you learn about the brand?

I originally worked for Maripat at her first Hand and Stone location for the first six months, then left because of my job offer at MAACO.

Why did you choose an opportunity with Hand and Stone?

I think it’s a relaxing, fun atmosphere. People come here to relax and they leave happy, and I love that. I think our business model is very strong. We’re helping our customers be better parents, better spouses, and better friends by allowing them to treat themselves to some self-care.

What are your expansion/development plans? Number of units? Timeframe? What is your end goal?

Being a multi-center owner is not outside the realm of possibilities. When I made this decision to be a small business entrepreneur, I thought, “Who better to invest in than yourself?” There are some very successful spas out there, and there’s no reason we won’t be a top-level spa; we’re located in a busy shopping center, with great foot traction and movement. I’m already very excited about our prospects — give us a few months to get this under our belt and we’ll see where to go from there.

Hand and Stone Featured in Delaware County News Network

Hand and Stone was featured in an article titled "Familiar Face: Justine Clark" in the Delaware County News Network on April 17, 2013. The article highlights Hand and Stone manager Justin Clark of Drexel Hill, PA in an interview conducted with the News Network.

"Background: Justine Clark grew up in Drexel Hill and graduated from Upper Darby High School in 2004. Clark became a model in Philadelphia and New York. She lived in New York for two years and became home sick for her hometown.

Clark returned to Drexel Hill. Modeling gave her a strong work ethic and her love for health and wellness led her to become a personal trainer. It taught her the importance of taking time out for you. She worked at the Philadelphia Sports Club and taught fitness at boot camps at different fields all around Delaware County. Last year she started working at the Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa at the front desk in Broomall. Today she is the manager and oversees fifty people."

To read the entire article, click here. 

Hand & Stone Featured in The Intelligencer

Hand & Stone was recently featured in The Intelligencer in an article titled, "Helping Hands."  The article focused on Hand & Stone’s presence in Delaware Valley, PA. Specifically the article talked about Howard Turetzky and Howard McClurd’s new Hand & Stone located in Langhorne. Further, the article discussed Howard McClurd’s and Howard Turetzky’s entrepreneurial story, and also talked about why they decided to franchise with Hand & Stone. Todd Leff discussed the presence of the brand in Pennsylvania and the success that the brand has seen in the Delaware Valley area.  For the entire article click here or begin below.


Helping Hands
By: Crissa Shoemaker DeBree

For 18 years, Howard Turetzky and Howard McClurd sought to help others through their medical supply business, which specialized in pain management and orthopedics.

Greg and Maripat Mowry spent their careers in corporate America.

Today, all four work to help make others feel better in a completely different way: through massage.

(Read More)

Franchisee Profile: Beth Maynard of Exton, Pa

Location: Exton, PA

Q: Where are you originally from?

A:  I’m from Gainesville, FL, but I moved to Exton, PA eight years ago.

Q: Before Franchising, what were you involved with?

A:  I worked in the privatized student housing industry for 21 years. I fell in love with that specific industry because it was always exciting, fast-paced, and interesting to see how different colleges handle the privatized student housing industry.  I loved the energy and involvement with the college-aged students. It’s fun to work with students who you are providing their very first housing experience to and the parents who are dealing with letting their children go into the real world for the first time.

Q: How did you learn about the brand?

A:  The only other thing I could imagine doing outside of the student housing industry was owning my own spa.  However I had no idea there were franchises in the day spa segment out there.  I saw this franchise opportunity with Hand & Stone was actually quite shocked.  I thought it was perfect because I have no prior experience in the massage industry but Hand & Stone could teach me all I needed to know.  In less than 30 days, I signed up as a franchisee.   

I have literally no competition in my market and everyone I’m spoken with so far has made me believe that this concept is going to do really well.  People want a place to go to and relax, but there’s really nothing in Exton that can provide that experience.  This whole process is really exciting because it’s my first time as a business owner.  I have loved finding a business that means something to me and taking it through the entire process of getting it up and running. I’m excited to work for myself and expand when the time is right.

Q: Why was this brand the right fit for you?

A:  I had always gotten massages to help with stress so I was very interested in massage from a health benefit standpoint.  That is what the corporate team is all about. I felt like Hand & Stone was a step above the competition from the look and feel of the spa to my interactions with the corporate team.  I feel comfortable that I will be successful as a result of great support I will receive from them. 

Q: What are your future goals? Development plans?

A:  It’s my goal to own three locations; two in Pennsylvania and one in Florida. 

ABOUT HAND & STONE
Hand & Stone is a 40-plus unit spa chain with a mission to bring affordable massage and facial services to the masses. Launched in 2005 by founder and COO John Marco and led by franchise veteran Todd Leff, President and CEO, Hand & Stone now resides in 12 states and Canada with plans to open an additional 40 locations by the end of 2011.  For more information on Hand & Stone, visit www.handandstone.com.

Franchisee Profile: Bonnie Horwith of Allentown, PA

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Q: Where are you originally from?
A: I’m from Walnutport, PA, just slightly north of Allentown.

Q: Before Franchising, what were you involved with?
A: I had a long career in the specific sector of gas and chemical manufacturing. For about 28 years, I was in the information technology group of a fortune 500 company. My department got outsourced in April 2010 and from there I spent some time thinking about what I wanted to do next. Initially I began looking for another job in the IT field, but the IT field had taken quit a hit in my area so there wasn’t much career potential. Upon that realization, I revisited an idea of entrepreneurship I’ve had on several occasions but had never pursued.

Q: How did you learn about the brand?
A: I began thinking of businesses I could start myself and searched the Internet for concepts that I thought fit my personality. I thought that was food but I met with a franchise consultant and after talking with him I started learning about other opportunities and that’s when I learned about Hand & Stone. I had thought about owning a spa before, so it was a natural fit.

Q: Why was this brand the right fit for you?
A: I liked everything about Hand & Stone. It’s a refreshing environment, everyone is friendly. The décor relaxes you; it’s a very soothing feeling.
Q: How do you see the brand connecting with your local community?
A: First and foremost, I see Hand & Stone being a destination for residents in Allentown to relax. We really don’t have anything like this in Allentown. That’s why I believe it’s going to be so popular. People are craving this type of service in my area. I’d also like to become involved with some local nonprofit organizations. My goal is to really become a community staple.

Q: What are your future goals? Development plans?
A: My first goal is to open and be profitable, and grow so that employment opportunities can be extended to others in the Lehigh Valley. After that happens, anything is possible.