The Greenbrier’s new owner and Marriott International have reached a tentative agreement that allows the hotel giant to market the historic resort.

In exchange, Marriott won’t challenge the resort’s sale, said Jim Justice, who purchased the Greenbrier’s stock earlier this month.

Justice worked out the deal with Marriott executives late Friday night at the Greenbrier Valley Airport.

“It can be a wonderful marriage,” Justice told the Gazette this morning. “Marriott will be an integral player in sending us guests. There are so many advantages that can come from this.”

Two weeks ago, Marriott questioned The Greenbrier’s sale, saying it had a contract to purchase the resort from Jacksonville, Fla.-based CSX.

Under the tentative deal struck Friday, Marriott will receive a special fee for every Greenbrier guest booked through the hotel chain’s marketing network.

Justice would have to pay Marriott a $7 million “break-up fee” if he ends Marriott’s marketing partnership.

Justice said no written agreement has been signed, and many details must be worked out.

On Tuesday, a U.S. Bankruptcy judge in Richmond, Va., is expected to consider whether to dismiss The Greenbrier’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy case.

“I’m cautiously optimistic that the dismissal of the bankruptcy is imminent,” Justice said.
Also today, Justice announced he has reached a new collective bargaining agreement with The Greenbrier’s union workers. The union overwhelmingly approved the new contract. The agreement includes significant improvements in health benefits for employees, Justice said.

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Promises to Hire Back Furloughed Workers, Plans to Build a $20 million Casino. Resort’s new owner hopes to build a $20 million casino and hire up to 600 new workers by the end of this year.

Jim Justice, who purchased the historic resort last week, said Monday that the resort would offer “tasteful gaming, but in an aggressive way.”

Justice also plans to start hiring back Greenbrier employees who were furloughed in January by the end of the week.

The Greenbrier now has 1,280 workers, but Justice plans to have 1,600 to 2,000 on staff by December, he said Monday.

“We’re going to have to spend some money to get this place in a position to make money,” said Justice, who bought the resort last week for $20 million. “We’re going to make this hotel flawless. It’s going to be first-class beyond belief.”

A May 19 court hearing has been scheduled in Richmond, Va., to consider Justice’s request to dismiss The Greenbrier from Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

There’s still a possible hitch in Justice’s plans.

Hours after Justice announced he purchased the hotel last week, Marriott International said it still had a “purchase agreement” to buy The Greenbrier from Jacksonville, Fla.-based CSX Corp. Marriott said it planned to honor its contract.

In a bankruptcy court filing last Friday, Justice’s lawyers noted that CSX had the right to sell the White Sulphur Springs resort to Justice — despite the previous deal with Marriott — provided Justice pays a $2.6 million “break-up fee” to Marriott, according to a termination clause. Justice said he plans to pay the fee — and move on.

“I hope this all gets worked out,” Justice said. “I don’t want a confrontation with the Marriott. [The resort's employees] don’t deserve more of a cloud, more uncertainty.”

Marriott’s lawyers have yet to respond to Justice’s request to dismiss the case from U.S. Bankruptcy Court. A Marriott spokesman declined Monday to comment on what specific steps the company may take.

“We’ve seen the court filings, are reviewing the documents, and will respond in court at the appropriate time,” said Thomas Marder, Marriott’s vice president of global corporate relations.

Justice reiterated Monday that he owns The Greenbrier.

“CSX had the right to sell the property to me,” Justice said. “I purchased it. I paid for it. I have the stock.”

In November, Greenbrier County voters narrowly approved a measure to allow casino-style gambling at the luxury resort. Last week, Gov. Joe Manchin signed legislation that allows The Greenbrier to set aside a portion of casino wagers to help recoup the cost of employee benefits.

Justice estimated that the new law will allow The Greenbrier to pump up to $5 million more annually into employee benefits.

Justice expects to have an architectural drawing of the casino by June. The new facility, which would cost between $15 million and $20 million, could be completed by December, he said.

“I hope with a full blitz, we’ll get it done,” Justice said. “You’re going to have a whole lot of construction jobs.”

In January, The Greenbrier furloughed nearly half of its 1,350 employees. The resort was struggling to fill its 720 rooms amid the recession.

All but 70 of those workers have returned. Justice promised to hire back the remaining furloughed workers quickly.

“We’re going to be significantly calling people back by the end of the week,” Justice said.

Justice believes The Greenbrier’s bankruptcy filing jeopardizes the resort’s ability to remain competitive in the luxury resort industry, according to his company’s request to have the bankruptcy dismissed. The “stigma of bankruptcy” inevitably drives away guests and undermines The Greenbrier’s ability to book conferences, which generate a substantial portion of the resort’s business, the filing states.

Justice’s request to end the bankruptcy includes new information about his purchase of the resort.

Justice started talking with CSX in late April and purchased The Greenbrier’s stock May 6.

Under the agreement, Justice promised to operate The Greenbrier for at least two years “at standards consistent with maintaining a AAA Five Diamond rating.”

The Greenbrier has held the American Automobile Association’s five-diamond rating for 33 years. AAA awarded its top rating to 103 U.S. hotels last year.

“People forget how wonderful steward [of the resort] CSX has been for a long time,” Justice said. “They wanted a guarantee from me to carry on the tradition.”

In an interview Monday, Justice said he would also work with resort employees to improve The Greenbrier’s four-star Mobil Travel Guide rating. The resort lost its five-star Mobil status in 2000.

“I want to bring The Greenbrier back to where it was a long time ago,” Justice said. “I want it to be profitable. I can’t possibly let it fail.”

Justice scoffed at critics who question his ability to operate a resort.

The former coal company executive acknowledged he has never owned or managed a hotel. But he said he has a master’s in business administration and extensive experience in marketing and advertising.

He vowed to prove his critics wrong.

“I have the resources behind me, and the love of the people who work there,” Justice said. “I’ll set this place on fire. You wait and see.”

 

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Bedecked in more than $2 million of decorative glass, massage chairs and a shower that rains in color, Mitchell’s Salon & Day Spa will open its new location April 15.

The salon, at the developing Kenwood Towne Place in Sycamore Township, is about a third larger than its 21-year-old space down the street on Montgomery Road, and includes the added services and breathing room to use it. Employing a staff of roughly 80, salon founder and owner Deborah Schmidt expects to add 10 more, and sales are projected to increase over the next 12 months by 10 percent to 15 percent (prices for services will not change).

“We definitely want this to be a resort atmosphere,” Schmidt said, after passing through the granite-counter bathrooms and dimly lit relaxation parlor, with its chaise lounges of muted gold. “When you are here at the spa, we want you to feel like you are at a resort.”

Schmidt and Michael Batchelor, general manager at Mitchell’s, took time a few days before the opening to provide a tour. Schmidt invested $2.2 million in the new space, and it shows. The 13,600-square-foot location, with its expanded manicure and pedicure rooms, spacious salon and 10-room spa, is adorned with quartz-tile walls, locally produced art and custom-made glass throughout. The wall of the main entry is slate, and the Mitchell’s sign hangs against backdrop of highly polished copper.

Accessing that main entrance may take a while, however. Kenwood Towne Place, also anchored by Crate & Barrel, the Container Store and Kroger Marketplace, has been mired in liens and lawsuits filed by subcontractors who say they have not been paid in months. But several of the tenants are up and running, and Mitchell’s is easily accessible from the elevators in the parking deck.

“This is a magnificent location,” Schmidt said. “I think the building will ultimately be successful. It just ran into a hiccup.”

The Mitchell’s space can best be described as handsome. It is not gender-specific, not ultra-feminine like many salons and spas. This is intentional, Schmidt said. Roughly 17 percent of her clients are men, and the figure is growing. So there is a men’s locker room along with the women’s, and the colors, lighting and fixtures all were carefully selected to appeal to both.

Overall, the style is minimalist. The tables and bureaus, for example, are dark paneled and the colors lean toward warm earth tones. The chandeliers are simple wheels of dark copper, and the floors are porcelain tile, one of the few surfaces that can withstand the chemicals and beatings a salon dishes out.

Many of the amenities at Mitchell’s current location – the refreshment area, the Macintosh computers, the catered lunches – will carry to the new locale, but with more space. The salon in particular is much more capacious, each of the 29 work stations is equipped with two right-angle mirrors and streamlined cabinets to handle laundry, trash and anything else that might pull a workers from her space. Of the added amenities: a photo booth, where clients can have their new style photographed, or e-mailed, for future reference. It will be available within 30 days of the salon’s opening.

“You haven’t seen anything,” Schmidt said. “Wait until you see the spa.”

Separated from the rest of the salon, the spa is beyond a glass-paneled door. Down a long hallway stand 14 rooms, for treatments, relaxation, changing and, at the very end, dining. Schmidt walks through each, pointing out the custom cabinets that hide the hot stones and facial scrubs. Gilded art work and glass-tile trim adorn the walls. Four rooms are for massage, five are for skin treatments, and one is the water treatment room, where a client can have a luxurious vichy shower, with seven massage heads, followed by the multi-colored waterfall shower, also new.

“It feels,” Schmidt said, “like you died and gone to heaven.”

The dining room, which seats 17, will be catered by the Cheesecake Factory next door, at Kenwood Towne Centre.

Running a salon of this size requires a lot of maintenance. Behind the scenes, two industrial-sized washers and dryers handle dozens loads a days. There are five water heaters, and a kitchen where incoming food is plated and garnished (dishes from Crate & Barrel).

A salon of this size also requires a lot of staff. So in addition to the stylists and manicurists (of which there is always a shortage), there is a graphics designer, a vice president of education (for staff) and a bridal coordinator. Schmidt shares her office, she said, with the head of information technology.

Winding up the tour, Schmidt remembers that Mitchell’s was recently chosen by Procter & Gamble Co. (NYSE: PG) as one of five U.S. flagship salons to carry its Sebastian products. With so much going on, it just slipped her mind. She still had to say goodbye to the old location.

Mitchell’s closed its former location, at 8118 Montgomery Road, April 11. The staff held a sleepover there that night.

Mitchell’s operates locations in Hyde Park, West Chester, Northgate and Tri-County and also owns Pump Salon in Norwood. A second Pump is opening May 15 at Kenwood Towne Centre in the former Walden Books locations.

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For years, Michelle Palmer, a lawyer in Manhattan, bounced from aesthetician to aesthetician having her skin cleaned, assessed and exfoliated, simply because she had always heard that facials were the best way to get glowing skin.

“I never did a ton of research to figure out what those products were doing, or whether or not I could get results at home, or whether I was better off going to see a dermatologist — this is what single women in the city did,” said Ms. Palmer, 36, who paid anywhere from $100 to $250 per session.

Aestheticians and spas have long promoted such routine facials as required maintenance for radiant skin. But dermatologists don’t necessarily agree. Today’s bloated and breathless spa menus promise more than a mere facial can deliver, dermatologists say, and have people thinking that monthly facials can be their first line of defense against wrinkles.

“People will say, ‘I’ve had facial after facial and I still have wrinkles,’ ” said Dr. Amy Derick, a board-certified dermatologist from Barrington, Ill. “They have unrealistic expectations of what facials can do.”

Meanwhile, aestheticians say that some doctors downplay how effective their treatments are because they don’t want their patients consulting the facialist down the street. “They’re bad-mouthing us because they want our business to go to them,” said Wendei Spale, an aesthetician of 14 years and the owner of Peace of Mind Skin & Body Care in the Studio City neighborhood of Los Angeles. “If my clients go to them, they’re going to talk them into fillers, Botox or a super strong peel they don’t need.”

Facials, a pillar of the $10.9-billion spa industry, are the third most popular service at spas nationwide, after massages and nail care, according to the International Spa Association.

Some facials are marketed as massages for the face, relaxation pure and simple. But most spas and aestheticians also offer a dizzying array of results-oriented facials that claim to do far more.

Aestheticians say that so-called oxygen facials can plump skin, produce collagen and regenerate new cells. A company called Intraceuticals has its technology in 300 spas, resorts and doctors’ offices nationwide. It uses pressurized oxygen to deliver modified hyaluronic acid to the face, but doesn’t have any research to back its machine, said Deirdre Burke, the director of sales and education. Still, the company believes in its efficacy, she said, adding, “If you have had a treatment, you’re a believer.”

But without scientific evidence, many dermatologists remain unconvinced. “Show me the data that oxygen facials make the skin better,” said Dr. Jeffrey Dover, a director of SkinCare Physicians, a comprehensive dermatology practice in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

Exhale spa, with outposts in Dallas and in Santa Monica, Calif., promotes a $195 “non-surgical face lift” on their Web site that entails using “sub-sensory microcurrent waves to tone and lift facial muscles.” And the Manhattan flagship store of Dr. Nicholas Perricone, a board-certified dermatologist, offers an electro-stim lifting facial, which his site says is a “non-invasive ‘face lift’ ” that will “stimulate facial muscles to perform more youthfully….”

Dr. Derick, who isn’t familiar with these two particular facials, suggests that massaging of the skin alone can cause temporary swelling, which may be responsible for that lifting effect after a facial.

What then can consumers expect from deep cleansing, microdermabrasion and other staples of today’s facials?

To rid oneself of some of the outermost dead-cell layers, old-fashioned exfoliation, microdermabrasion or a glycolic peel will do the trick, many dermatologists say. A salicylic peel may help diminish sun spots, they say, and acne sufferers may benefit from a meticulous extraction of clogged pores.

More and more dermatologists are hiring aestheticians to perform such services. Ms. Palmer, now married, found her facialist of three years, Rowena Woo, at her dermatologist’s office, Tribeca Skin Center in Manhattan. “If client wants an ‘anti-aging’ facial, we don’t have that,” said Ms. Woo, who sticks to basics like cleaning, extraction and exfoliation.

Dr. Arielle Kauvar, the director of New York Laser & Skin Care in Manhattan, doesn’t offer facials per se, but she does offer microdermabrasion as well as glycolic and salicylic peels. “From a pure budgetary standpoint, facials can add up,” she said. She’ll advise patients who dislike their frown lines or crow’s-feet and spend hundreds of dollars on anti-aging facials to consider Botox. “The same amount of money would at least erase those wrinkles,” she said. (Temporarily, of course.)

Dr. Leslie Baumann, a dermatology professor at University of Miami, ignited a firestorm recently when she wrote on her Skin Guru blog for Yahoo that facials are a waste of money. Outraged aestheticians and their followers made up a lot of the 1,453 commenters. Two criticisms were particularly sharp: that aestheticians “often don’t know which products are right for the skin of each client” and that facials cause breakouts most of the time.

Dr. Baumann has since said that aestheticians play a vital role advising clientele about home care and the wearing of sunscreen. However, she is astonished that some of her new patients “throw facials in at the level of sunscreen.”

Dr. Baumann said: “Getting a facial is a great cost to cut,” because, unlike sunscreen, “it’s not doing anything preventative or anything long term for your skin.”

Some aestheticians and their satisfied clients wouldn’t agree. Nancy Girten, a 50-year-old geologist from Los Angeles, used to have sun spots on her face, but since she started getting lactic acid peels 12 years ago from Ms. Spale, she is convinced that her skin tone has evened out significantly.

Dermatologists are also wary of facials that aren’t customized. “If you drop into a hotel, they do a similar thing to everybody,” said Dr. Dover, who has had aestheticians on staff since 2000, and is the co-author of “The Youth Equation.” “It’s a recipe.”

Such one-fits-all recipes where the aesthetician may not even do an initial skin assessment can backfire. Take the case of Dr. Dover’s wife, who is also a dermatologist. “She’s gone for spa facials where they put things on her skin that should never be put on,” he said. “Then they do a massage, and she breaks out in deep tender pimples.” Now she gives to others any gift certificate she receives for a facial. “The standard in the industry has to include a complete analysis of the skin,” said An G. Hinds, the president of Catherine Hinds Institute of Esthetics in Woburn, Mass. “Every aesthetician should know this.”

But often the consumer is the one to guess which facial might work. Dermatology Partners, a practice with three aestheticians in Wellesley, Mass., circumvents this by only booking the hour, not the service, said Milena Turok, the director of aesthetics. “We analyze,” she said. “It’s dangerous for a patient to pick a treatment.”

Demand customization, advised Celeste Hilling, the founder of Skin Authority, a product line used at 62 resorts and 37 doctors’ offices nationwide. “At the end of the day whether you’re spending $40 or $400,” she said, “if that facial doesn’t have active ingredients for what you want, it’s not worth it.”

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Our face is the very first impression we make, and in a world of first
impressions, we all want to make the best one we can.

And since your skin also plays the vital role of protecting you from the environment, we should return the favor and give it some help from time to time.

If constant stimulation has started to take its toll on your physical appearance, you’re not alone.

The morning after a long night out our skin looks a little heavier, tired and in need of some help – much like the rest of your body does. However, your face showcases your troubles a lot quicker than the rest of your body. When a face looks attractive, healthy and fresh, we feel attractive, healthy and fresh from within.

First things first: You need to know what you’re protecting before you start fixing, so you don’t do more harm than good. There are three layers of skin. You only need to worry about the first two. The outer layer, or epidermis, is the protective, waterproof wrap your body uses as a natural barrier to keep out anything that may be harmful to the body, including UV sunlight, chemicals and pathogens.

Jenny Weisenborn, of the United States, applies moisturizer to her face to deal with the harsh winter air. She has been in Korea for a year and a half. 

However, it holds no blood vessels. In fact, the important stuff lies in the dermis, the layer below the epidermis. This layer holds all the blood vessels, hair follicles, sweat glands and sebaceous (oil) glands of the skin. In addition, this is where we find all the collagenous and elastic fibers. This material keeps our skin tight and taut, which we try so desperately to keep strong and fit throughout our lives.

The second thing you need to educate yourself about is the environment your skin is exposed to on a daily basis. For instance, here in Seoul during most of the year it’s nice and humid, which helps keep water on the skin and thus keeps it hydrated.

However, in these harsh months of the year, the air is dry and windy, which is like a double whammy. Your skin has enough of a fight with the dry, cold air but with the added bonus of fierce winds, without proper protection, you and your skin will suffer.

Related Articles:

• Types of Facials
• Spa Facial 101
• Your Face an Owners Manual

 

 

Another reality check: No matter how dry our face may be, our natural oils still pick up toxins in the air. As we all know, Seoul is not known for its pristine air quality and skin soaks the toxins up like a sponge. Let’s imagine that in a perfect universe, we all live healthy lifestyles full of exercise and great diets. Our skin still has to fight elements not under our control.

There is hope, though, for alleviating some of these challenging environments.

Moisturizers and cleansing are the foundations of healthy skin. Some of our regular vices like caffeine, cigarettes and alcohol dehydrate skin the quickest. Cutting these vices out completely would improve your skin tremendously but so would a million dollars and a personal staff of 20, all of which are highly unlikely to happen. These days, good cleansers are a bit pricey but very important to have. Thankfully, skin care is a lot like fashion today pairing a less expensive item with a more expensive classic creates the perfect combination. Today’s lower-priced cleansers and moisturizers include Keihl’s and Clinique products which range from 20,000 won to 45,000 won. For the more expensive, more advanced treatments try Este Lauder, Bobbi Brown or SK II for 50,000 won to 150,000 won. If you would like to invest in your skin care, Chanel and la prairie are upward of 200,000 won but you get everything you pay for in radiant and vibrant skin. All of these products are readily available at your local department stores.

It goes without saying that your diet is an intricate part in the way your skin reacts and looks. You need one or two servings of fruit and vegetables each day. Fruits and vegetables are not only great for vitamins and antioxidants for the skin but they also provide us with water that stays in our body longer than when we just drink it. Water is also a must. Drinking water will provide us with well hydrated skin. However, according to Dr. Murad, a clinical dermatologist based in London, once water comes to the surface you have to keep it there. It often rapidly escapes through sweat or dry air. Drinking water alone will not keep your skin hydrated. Moisturizers maintain the hydration and are completely necessary. The one thing that makes water a crucial element in healthy skin is the expulsion of toxins from our bodies via the excretory system. Without adequate amounts of water, toxins get stuck in our bodies and can build up, eventually escaping from the pores.

For the average person 1-2 liters a day will suffice in keeping the toxins from building up; however there are always exceptions. Take out and processed foods hold a high amount of sodium that holds water in the body, so add another glass to the equation when you eat either of these.

Unfortunately, not all toxins can escape from the body through water; some attach to us from the air. When we combine this with oils and billions of dead skin cells that try to shed everyday, our face can start to look more like a microscopic junkyard than a healthy surface. For this reason, exfoliation is key. Exfoliation is the process of shedding the outermost surface of the skin containing dead skin cells and toxins to reveal the newer skin beneath. This process unclogs pores, keeps skin clean and helps prevent acne. It should always be done after cleaning your face with warm water, allowing pores to be as open as possible. Men can particularly benefit from exfoliation as it exposes hair follicles, allowing for a better shave.

Facials are often referred to as an indulgence; but for healthy looking skin they should be a requirement. Home facial care still pales in comparison with some of the artillery your local spa has to help refresh your skin. Spas use oxygenated steam, which not only opens up the pores but it’s a huge wake up call to the cells in your face. Our cells, like most of our body, can get tired and a little run down from day to day activity. With bursts of oxygen and a facial massage our cells start moving at a rapid pace and circulation is at its peak. This quickly reduces under-eye circles and stress lines, while increasing blood flow. Spas also offer many different treatments that cater to your own special problems, such as dryness, oily skin, sensitive skin, acne prone skin. Spa facials generally run from about 50,000 won to 150,000 won depending on the service. Most dermatologists suggest once a month or every two months for those of us with active lifestyles.

There is also the matter of “When in Rome.” Expats and Koreans alike can benefit from local jjimjilbangs, or bath houses. It’s my belief that Jjimjilbangs can single-handedly be the greatest tip the Western world can learn from Korea. Most Koreans use the jjimjilbangs to rest and refresh their minds and bodies. Jjimjilbangs are large spas that have access to just about every good thing your skin needs to renew itself. These spas are equipped with saunas, massage chairs, a masseuse with exfoliation gloves and large baths infused with herbs like lavender and ginseng.

This is a one-stop shop for looking and feeling better, especially during these grueling winter months. The greatest part is that entry generally about 9,000 won. Massage chairs are about 1,000 won and the masseuse is around 10,000 won.

Our face is the very first impression we make, and in a world of first impressions, we all want to make the best one we can. And since your skin also plays the vital role of protecting you from the environment we should return the favor and give it some help from time to time.

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