Bethel Massage Center Gets A New Look

Anyone who has recently walked into will have noticed a big change. Instead of all the skin care and spa-related products lining the shelves, there is now open, empty space.

Owner Darryl Soifersmith has completely redesigned the 17-year-old business - located at 130 Greenwood Av. - by removing most of the products, with the goal of creating a more breathable and relaxing look.

“Whenever you walked in, you were bombarded with too much stuff. All of this produced the opposite effect of what I want customers to feel when they enter the store, which is peace and serenity,” said Soifersmith, 39, a New Milford resident who has owned the business since 2009.

“It’s all about being able to breathe and relax," he continued. "By getting rid of all the excess, I have streamlined the store. This has allowed us to focus on what we're known for and what we do best—massage therapy."

The 1,000-square-foot business offers over nine types of massages including aromatherapy, sports massage, reflexology and cranio-sacral. 

Prices range from a ten-minute chair massage for $14 to a 30-minute table massage for $50, to a 90-minute hot stone massage for $160.

According to Soifersmith, most popular is the deep tissue massage, which is intended to release toxins and increase mobility—and the Classic Swedish massage, which utilizes gliding strokes, kneading and circular pressure.

“Both those types of massage offer the most immediate relief from physical muscular strain and stress,” he explained.

Aside from stress, another reason why people get massages, according to Soifersmith, is just what the store’s name states — “taking time for yourself."

“It’s about unplugging from the outside world and plugging into yourself,” he said.

According to Soifersmith, 77 percent of his clients have booked monthly appointments.

One aspect Soifersmith said he feels is unique about his business is that therapists tailor massages to customers’ individual needs.

“When you come in, the therapist will first ask you why you are here and then will figure out the best way to resolve your issue in the time you have. The communication continues during the session, when clients let the therapist know how they’re feeling,” he explained.

Soifersmith is a graduate of the Somerset School of Massage Therapy in New Jersey (now called Cortiva Institute). He is certified through the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork, which is based in Illinois.

Every week for the past four years, Bethel resident Ed Flynn has come into Take Time Relaxation Center for a 20-minute chair massage.

“I had two neck fusions over the years, and I have very little movement in my neck. The sessions I have with Daryl loosen everything up. They’re phenomenal," Flynn said. "He works the base of my neck and shoulder blades, so they get the relaxation they wouldn’t normally get. He gets the muscles to relax and move again. He really does an excellent job." 

Customer Christine DiGilio has been getting a two-hour deep tissue massage every other month since 2005. DiGilio, a Danbury resident, works as a cardiac sonographer at Danbury Hospital. 

She said: “My job puts a lot of strain on my shoulder and neck area. When I’m scanning patients’ hearts, I have to move them into different positions, which pulls on my arm. The massages relieve the knots from my neck to my lower back, and make the muscles looser so I’m not in pain anymore."

According to the American Massage Therapy Association, 86 percent of Americans agree that massage can be beneficial for health and wellness, including pain relief. 

In addition, the AMTA states massage therapy is effective in treating a variety of conditions such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism, fibromyalgia, and temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ).

In October, to celebrate Soifersmith’s 10-year anniversary as a massage therapist, he will be opening an art gallery in the new space he created inside his business. The gallery will showcase and sell local artists’ work.  

Soifersmith is an artist himself, who paints with watercolors. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art. 

“The reorganization of my business has given me an opportunity to be able to use my interest in art to create an art gallery," Soifersmith said. "The purpose of the gallery is about taking time out of our busy lives to observe the beauty of things.” 

“With this gallery, I also hope to provide another reason to draw people into downtown Bethel,” he added. 

On Mondays and Wednesdays in October, all massages at Take Time Relaxation Center (with the exception of the hot stone massage) will cost $1 a minute. 

From 6:30-9 p.m. on October 8, 15, 22 and 29, Take Time Relaxation Center will offer a 4-part reiki class. The cost is $200.

Take Time Relaxation Center LLC is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. While appointments are recommended, drop-ins are welcome. Call 203-792-2456 or visit www.taketimecenter.com.