Hand & Stone Featured in the Charlotte Observer

Hand and Stone was recently featured in an article in the Charlotte Observer titled "Spa with Healing Touch Got Black Friday Debut." The article discusses the grand opening of Hand &Stone in Charlotte on Black Friday.  The article details Martin Snell’s experience as the director of oncology at Carolinas Medical Center-Northeast and how that career inspired him to open the spa. Martin notes that opening a franchise was the best option because he has been able to take advantage of the great network of company franchisees. 

"First-time small-business man Martin Snell holds staff meetings that could be nicknamed 'Lessons I've learned.' But to Snell, who recently opened Charlotte's second Hand & Stone Massage Spa franchise, this particular learning curve -- from lease negotiations to the daily laundry pile -- has been a labor of love. Snell celebrated the grand opening of his business, located in the Village at SouthPark, on the busiest shopping day of the year, Black Friday. And it marked the biggest turning point of 51-year-old Snell's career: Just one year earlier, he was the director of oncology service lines for Carolinas Medical Center-Northeast, an administrator with one of the nation's largest hospital systems. Now, Snell oversees a staff of 13, who offer their own brand of healing, he says. 'I spent a lot of time developing the mind, body, spirit approach when I was working in health care,' Snell says. 'We built a spa here...where they aren't just giving massages or facials but they're really rejuvenating people's spirits.' Eventually, Snell said, he'd like to offer respite care for cancer patients as well, and one of his therapists is pursuing certification." 

(Charlotte Observer)

Click over to the Charlotte Observer's website to read the full article.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/01/08/3772390/spa-with-healing-touch-got-black.html#storylink=cpy

Hand & Stone featured in The Denver Post

The article profiles Hand & Stone spa owner Julie Bulatovic.

The article included two great photos and showcased Julie’s background, as well as her passion for helping her community through alternative healing. The article highlights Julie’s work with Re-Org and the special deals she offers cancer patients and their caregivers. Dara Purdy, a massage therapist at Julie’s spa, noted that the spa “doesn’t feel like a medical setting”. Eric Bostrom added that he offers oncology-related massages at his Highlands Ranch location.

Denver massage business transforms to cater to cancer patients
by Howard Pankratz for The Denver Post

Julie Bulatovic's dream is that all people struggling with the aftermath of cancer, and their caregivers, can receive the benefits of massage therapy.

About 15 of her massage therapists — most of those she has on staff at Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa in Cherry Creek — have been trained to give oncology massage treatments to cancer survivors.

Bulatovic knows the territory. Her stepmother had breast cancer years ago and has recovered. But the memories lingered — of the stress faced by her stepmother and the strain her dad lived through.

"I've always believed in alternative healing — and massage is part of that stress reduction, energy collection, energy healing," said Bulatovic.

Click here to read the entire article.

Hand & Stone featured in 5280 Magazine

Hand & Stone was featured in the November issue of 5280 Magazine, a Denver area publication with a circulation of more than 80,000.

The article discusses how Julie Bulatovic has trained almost 80 percent of her therapists in oncology massage techniques to cater to cancer patients and their families. The article details Julie’s work with a local non-profit and a few Denver hospitals to bring free and discounted massages for patients and their families. Julie also notes that Hand & Stone owners across the country are interested in the therapy and she hopes her efforts can be a model for other franchisees.

Healing Hands

A local spa gears its services towards cancer patients

by Julie Dugdale

Click below to see the article.


Hand & Stone 5280 Article Nov 2012

Hand and Stone featured in the Sunday edition of The Courier-Post

Hand and Stone was featured in an excellent article in the Sunday edition of The Courier-Post entitled, “In the right hands: Cancer inspires woman to open spa.” In this 3-page feature article, Denise McQuillan shares her inspiring personal story about surviving breast cancer and opening up her own spa as a result of the ordeal. Denise talks about how massage was a huge source of relief for her during cancer treatments, and inspired her to become a Hand & Stone franchisee once she recovered. Todd Leff and Fred Vicario weigh in on Denise’s qualities as a franchisee, and why she makes for a perfect candidate. Click here to view the article in its entirety!

In the right hands: Cancer inspires woman to open spa
By KARYN D. COLLINS

Denise McQuillan had always worked in the corporate business world.

She was a numbers cruncher, doing accounting outsourcing for BNY Mellon Financial. She was good at it, had always been good at numbers. And, while it maybe wasn't the most personally fulfilling work, McMcQuillan said she was happy. Life was good for her, her husband and their two daughters. The couple, who live in Mullica Hill, even ran a couple of franchises of a tanning salon on the side.

Then, in an instant, everything changed.

(Read More)