How spas and massage therapists are surviving in a slow economy

SUMMIT COUNTY — With local business facing the rigors of a down economy, luxury services like massages are unquestionably taking a hit. Residents and visitors are cutting daily frills, but locals in the spa industry share how they’re making it — with positive attitudes, creative advertising and extra legwork.
Erik Ulstad and Ro Irwin-Mayberry, owners of Breck Massage in Breckenridge, consciously strive to reach new customers with volunteer activities and networking.

“As poor as the economy is, this year is better than last year,” Ulstad said. “With Ro and I working and doing community outreach efforts, we’re doing pretty well. It’s not as abundant as it could be, but we’re going to make it through the shoulder seasons.”

They’ve participated in seven volunteer chair massage activities this winter, including holiday parties and Nordic ski races. They’ve also worked at D’Vine Wine chair massage nights.

“A lot of times people view massages as a luxury,” Ulstad said. “But if you take care of your body before it breaks down, you’re going to be better off.”

Being loyal to locals, being proactive and treating them well is Breck Massage’s mantra.

“They are the heart and soul of our business,” Ulstad said.

According to Irwin-Mayberry, Breck Massage offers a “local love” package, offering deep discounts on massages for Summit County residents.

And they’re reaching out to the community by providing a chair-massage service.

“A lot of times people can still afford a chair massage for $1 minute,” Ulstad said. “They’re still able to unwind at less cost.”

Both massage therapists are letting their hands speak for themselves, and it’s working.

“Not on a scale that would represent what the economy was three years ago,” Ulstad said, “but we are seeing people coming in because of our outreach. … Like one in 10.”

Breck Massage is reaching out to the destination skier market as well. Ulstad said the business services locals and visitors equally.

To draw out-of-town customers, they’re trying to drive more traffic to their website .

“The thing that we’re doing is keeping our eye on the long term,” Ulstad said. “ … We’re having to work a lot smarter to get the bottom line, squeezing the most out of every opportunity. We’re making lemonade, if you will.”

Laura Eilers, massage therapist, esthetician and nail tech
Silverthorne massage therapist Laura Eilers is “making hay while the sun shines,” and if that means being available every day or night, that’s what she does. Eilers works six to seven days a week, traveling between spas in Vail and Keystone, and to private homes with her own business, ArohaYoga.com.

Locals definitely get breaks on services, especially if they’re looking to do long-term massage and Eilers travels to clients or provides services in her own home.

“It might be slow, but the focal point is on customer service because you can get customers to return,” Eilers said. “I’m doing everything — massage, nails and skin care.”

Eilers is currently employed at Cascade Resort’s Aria Spa in Vail and the Keystone Lodge and Spa. She’s also working on her yoga and Ashiatsu certifications, striving to be multi-faceted and thus more employable.

Staying positive and putting out a good vibe is important to business, and Eilers is focusing on being smart with her income and resources that are coming in.

“Reality may prove that I need to find an hourly position, especially when mud season begins, to supplement income,” she said and she’s looking at employment ads and networking for springtime jobs.

Karen Mapes, owner of Blue Sage Spa
Karen Mapes, owner of Blue Sage Spa in Breckenridge, guards her secrets to solvency well, but she did divulge this: “If you’re mediocre, you won’t survive. If you excel at customer service, if you’re excellent at what you do, you’ll survive.”

Mapes concedes that for lots of massage therapists, business is slower. But Blue Sage Spa is hanging tough and taking every opportunity to bolster business.

“I think some of my staff is getting creative with second jobs, and they’re really eager to work,” she said. “ … One thing I’ve learned this winter is that you can’t compare last year’s numbers to this year’s. It’s just not realistic.”

Mapes is also always on the lookout for free advertising. She even got involved with the Ullr Parade this winter because she knew the Travel Channel was coming.

“This is not the time to pull back on your advertising,” she said. “We’re hanging on, spending less and making smarter choices when we do spend.”

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Spa says relax, pay what you can.   Spend any time at Sensorielle Spa and you’ll quickly learn it is the definition of tranquility. From the gentle sound of trickling water features to soft lighting, clients are eased into a healing environment.

“We treat the body, mind and spirit,” said Jewl Petteway, director of the spa.

The spa offers an array of massage and skin treatments.

“Our spa is really meant to uplift people and give them a feeling of wholeness, happiness and stress relief,” said Petteway. “I want them to feel extremely blissful.”

That stress relief has taken on increased importance to customers given the downturn in the economy.

“As everyone knows, the economy has been very challenging,” said Petteway.

To answer that challenge, Sensorielle will begin offering a pay-what-you-can program on Feb. 1. Clients will be given a suggested price list for services, but will be asked to pay only what their budget will allow.

“Regardless of what their situation is today, they can come in and set the price that feels good to them and be able to experience any of our treatments,” said Petteway.

The pay-what-you-can plan has been embraced by the staff at Sensorielle. For them, there is a risk to the concept. Massage therapists could end up receiving less compensation for their time, but they hope the flexible pricing will result in more appointments and an increased customer base.

While pay-what-you-can is new to the spa business, it is an approach that has been used by restaurants and yoga studios to build their customer base. The hope is that once the economy improves, those customers will retain loyalty to the business.

This unique business approach has also created unique and surprising results. Take for instance when one client asked if she could start the pay-what-you-can plan prior to Feb. 1.

“The therapist said that’s fine, go ahead and do it,” said Petteway. “She then paid $130 for a $100 service.”

Not all will be able to be so generous, but Petteway wants all of her clients, no matter their financial situation, to utilize the stress-relieving services of her spa.

“I want people to come in here and completely forget they have financial stress and work stress. Just forget about that and be in our tropical oasis and just let it go,” she said.

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Jenny Farrand has been appointed spa director of the soon-to-open luxury mountain resort, Capella Telluride. Farrand will launch The Spa at Capella, developing the spa’s concept, creating authentic treatments and selecting luxury skincare products for the spa’s boutique.

“We warmly welcome Jenny to the Capella team,” commented Capella Telluride’s general manager, John Volponi. “She has an extensive background in creating innovative treatments that utilize local, natural ingredients. This experience makes her well-poised to establish the calming, alpine-inspired ambience at The Spa at Capella.”

Farrand has more than 10 years of experience in the spa and wellness industry, most recently serving as spa director for Linden Spa at The Inn at Perry Cabin, an Orient-Express Hotel, in St. Michaels, Md. At Linden Spa, Farrand led the launch of the resort’s spa and created unique treatments which integrated raw materials native to Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Farrand has also served as the director of spa services at the Marble West Inn’s ApothicA Spa in Dorset, Vt. A specialist in massage, Farrand developed her skill through spa therapist positions at several luxury resorts in upstate New York and Vermont, including The Sagamore on Lake George, N.Y., and the Avanyu Spa at The Equinox Resort in Manchester, Vt. Additionally, Farrand has developed and managed her own spa in Dorset, Vt., Jenny Farrand Skin & Body Care, as well as her own skincare product line, ApothicA, carried by Marble West Inn’s ApothicA Spa.

Farrand is a graduate of The Christine Valmy School of Esthetics in Albany, N.Y., and the Fingerlakes School of Massage in Ithaca, N.Y.

Capella Telluride is located in the heart of Mountain Village with ski in/ski out access to Telluride Ski Resort and will consist of 100 hotel guestrooms and 48 residential condominium suites. Capella’s renowned services will be available to both hotel guests and residential owners and amenities will include three gourmet restaurants, a world-class spa and fitness center, indoor pool, ski valet services and an outdoor ice skating rink.

Colorado Spas

Ritz-Carlton Denver opens spa

The Ritz-Carlton Denver opened its upscale spa Thursday, calling it “the largest full-service luxury spa in the city.” The spa, with 6,400 square feet, has a VIP suite with a private lounge, separate men’s and women’s whirlpools, aromatherapy steam rooms, a hair and nail salon, and a retail boutique.

Facials and massages start at $75 for 25 minutes, and body wraps run $115 and up.

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The spa opened four months after the 202-room, $75 million Ritz-Carlton Denver opened at 18th and Curtis streets.

Ritz-Carlton room rates start at $249 a night and go up to $3,000 for the most expensive accommodations: the Ritz Carlton Suite. It’s a 3,000-square-foot suite with a panoramic view of the mountains, media room, wet bar, living and dining rooms, and a king-size bed

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