NJ Sisters Open Massage, Facial Spa In Holmdel Amid Pandemic

HOLMDEL, NJ - Is pandemic-related stress getting you down? New Jersey sisters Lauren Rathburn and Gillian Paige are opening up shop as new Hand & Stone Spa franchisees, offering Holmdel residents facials, massages and more.

While the duo launched a soft opening to the public earlier in October, a grand opening on Nov. 14 is slated to feature a ribbon cutting ceremony (with an appearance from Mayor Greg Buontempo) at 1 p.m., as well as raffles, giveaways and free 10 minute chair massages, free hand treatments and free skin analysis from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 2145 Route 35.

But while the massage facility is brand-new, the duo's camaraderie certainly isn't: Paige and Rathburn began working together at a family-owned home improvement store in Brick over a decade ago. Paige reports that the pair’s success as a team led to the duo opening their first establishment as business partners:

“Being sisters, people are like, ‘how do you work with your sister?’, but we learned over the years how to work really well together. We are very much a yin-yang where we are very much complete opposites but we know how to make it work together,” Paige told Patch.

“In setting up this spa, we’ve realized so many similarities to the service industry. It’s mostly about customer service, which is the same thing for the service industry. We basically grew up answering on the phones and helping customers and running a business. We know all the ins and outs of it, and having that experience, bringing that into this business, it’s been pretty seamless.”

While working at the Ocean County store, the sisters learned how to refine each of their talents when it comes to operating a business. Paige says that, at the new spa in Holmdel, Rathburn will be doing most of the ordering and inventory, which she handled at the Brick store. Paige in turn handles bookkeeping and payroll.

But even though the pair function exceptionally well in a work environment, Paige reports that the inspiration for the Holmdel spa location came when the sisters were relaxing together. In fact, the idea was born out of a routine self-care practice that the duo enjoyed as a bonding activity.

“I was a member at a competing spa for years, starting in 2008. I’ve just enjoyed the monthly pampering. It was affordable and then I got my sister to join and we were going together,” Paige said.

“We started adding facials and doing hot stones together. It was something we both really enjoyed to do, also with our mom. After a couple of years, I ended up moving to North Jersey, and a friend of mine had recommended Hand & Stone in Pompton Lakes. I hadn’t been there and I didn’t know too much about it, but I instantly fell in love with the whole thing: It was basically what I was paying for at a competitor, but you got so much more. Like, it was still affordable even though the perks are a little nicer. It was a step up from what I was experiencing.”

After visiting other locations in Wayne, Brick and Boca Raton, F.L. and participating in monthly visits with Rathburn and her mother, Paige says she reached out to Hand & Stone in 2017 to inquire about any available markets in New Jersey.

“It turns out the Holmdel market was pretty available. It’s not halfway between Lauren and I but it’s close enough for me to commute,” Paige said. “Then we started to literally investigate Holmdel. We came into the town, we came in and we had lunch a few times and we looked at the shopping center, looking for available space. It’s really a nice part of New Jersey, it’s clean, people are friendly and it’s close to the beach. Everything kind of fell into place like, it was just meant to be.”

Paige assures that every surface in the facility is cleaned and wiped down, with extra minutes built into each session for thorough cleaning. The corporation also requires that every Hand & Stone employee pass a sanitation course.

But although sanitization comes easy to the duo, the process of opening was anything but. In fact, the new storefront was scheduled to be open for Mother’s Day. Paige recalls construction on the facility completely shutting down in mid-March as the COVID-19 pandemic took full force in New Jersey. When crews were finally allowed to go back to work in June, there was a shortage of workers. The sisters also reported difficulties getting in touch with the state cosmetology board for months due to pandemic-related office closures.

“We hit speed bump after speed bump to open. We started construction literally at the end of February. All the COVID cases started coming in and we were like, oh no! So it was coming and we were two weeks into construction and we had to stop, we just got shut down,” Paige said.

However, despite reopening troubles, the two are back on their feet and ready to service Holmdel residents interested in an enjoyable mind and body experience.

“We really want [customers] to look forward to a nice pampering. Just to be able to treat themselves … it’s great for your mind, it’s great for your body, it’s great for your soul. It’s a cleansing experience, the whole thing,” Paige said.

“People that enjoy massages and facials are 100 percent coming back. During this time of stress, you need that release. You need that in your life. You need to just take a breath and relax and calm yourself. I feel like people that were not are not into that to begin with they're going to take some time to come around.”

Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa Senior Director of Franchise Development Nicole Alburger notes that the new Holmdel location is part of a slew of new locations to come to New Jersey, a telltale sign that folks are seeking a stress-free pampering experience amid months of uncertainty. Alburger reports that sites in Montgomery, south Brunswick, Kearny and Jersey City are currently in development.

“Self care is something that’s needed now more than ever,” Alburger told Patch. “Whether that’s a massage for stress or pain relief as well. And then our skincare. Now we’re wearing masks and we need to take care of our skin underneath. So our customers are coming back strong and people want to look good and take care of their skin. It’s just a great thing to do for yourself.”

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