Through the art of touch, Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa is determined to change the way we look and feel
By Laura Briedis
When you think of companies with the best corporate culture, usually tech companies like Google or outdoor lifestyle brands like Patagonia top the list. Here in Northeast Ohio, Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa is creating an extraordinary place where employees are happy to come to work. And that feeling of well-being is rubbing off on customers.
“Massage therapists are very intuitive,” says Dave Crandall, who, along with his wife, Tracy, owns this new Strongsville spa.
“They transfer their feelings through their hands. So, when they are happy, it radiates through their touch and permeates the clients.”
With a caring demeanor, affable personality and strong business acumen, Dave sets the tone for the spa environment, which is welcoming and rejuvenating.
A former corporate attorney for a New York stock exchange company, he found himself looking for a new career last year after his company was acquired.
“I did not want to relocate. Cleveland is my home,” he says.
He took the summer off to decide, as he puts it, “what he wanted to do when he grew up.” He decided to become a spa owner.
“Trading the corporate boardroom for essential oils and hydrating face masks seemingly is a stark contrast to what I’ve done for the past 30 years,” he comments. “But now I get to help people look and feel better.”
“We are excited to bring a business to town that helps people feel better about themselves,” echoes Tracy, who also is a corporate attorney. “As a working mom with five daughters, I like to come here on the weekends to relax, meet customers and make them feel welcome.”
Spa-ing Your Way to Wellness
With a soothing blue color scheme, mix of gleaming granite and stone, a trickling water wall, and the scent of lavender and vanilla wafting through the air, the spa is an oasis of calm.
And it is the little touches that make a big impression, like the luxurious, comfy robes you slip into before a treatment and the refreshing antioxidant infusion drops added to the water in the waiting area in flavors ranging from coconut water to green tea to elderberry.
“I want people to relax as soon as they walk in,” says Dave. “Our spa associates connect and engage with every guest who walks through the door and they explain how to tailor services to individual needs. Then our staff of licensed massage therapists and estheticians takes care of the rest.”
“There is a real health and wellness component to getting regular massages and facials,” he says. “Massages are not just for stress relief but also help to get rid of the toxins in your system. And facials improve your skin’s elasticity and vibrancy.”
With its monthly membership plan, Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa makes wellness affordable. For a $59 monthly membership, clients can choose either a one-hour massage or signature facial every month.
“Our mission is to bring a high-end spa experience and affordable access to wellness regimens through our monthly lifestyle program,” says Dave.
For spa members, the hardest decision is to choose whether to get a facial or massage this month, or decide if they want to add lavender aromatherapy oils to the massage or get an extra dose of healing with the soothing properties of Himalayan salt stones.
Signature Massages
Touch just may be the most under-appreciated of the five senses, but from the moment a baby is born and swaddled, touch constitutes a vital component of our being. At Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa, massage therapy soothes your body and soul. It also offers numerous health-related benefits, from improving blood flow to lowering heart rate to enhancing mobility.
“We specialize in hot stone massage, hence our name,” says Leeann Jeske, lead massage therapist. “I warm up smooth river rocks and use those as a tool to massage.”
During the massage, the stones are never placed on the skin; they are constantly rubbed on the body as an extension of the massage therapist’s hand. The hot stones consist of 80 percent of the massage, and the other 20 percent is done by hand.
Another popular massage is the Himalayan Salt Stone Massage.
“The salt stones contain 84 essential minerals and gently exfoliate the skin while soothing away stress,” comments Leeann.
With nine different massage modalities offered at the spa, the massage therapists customize therapy based on the clients’ needs.
For the ultimate in relaxation, try add-on enhancements like the hot towel lemongrass sugar scrub foot treatment, the peppermint scalp massage, or add aromatherapy oils to any massage. Aromatherapy is a powerful way to enhance the effectiveness of the massage, as it calms nerves, lifts the spirits and energizes the body.
Advanced Skincare
Facials not only make you look younger but also address skin issues, like acne, rosacea and uneven pigmentation.
“When I was in high school, I had to deal with acne,” says Dave. “But now with regular skincare treatments, you don’t have to suffer with acne. We have many teens and men coming in and reaping benefits from regular facials.”
In addition to the eight signature one-hour facials, the spa menu features lactic, glycolic and salicylic peels, microdermabrasion, LED skin phototherapy, and NuFace Quick Lift.
A non-invasive, non-chemical option for skin rejuvenation, LED skin phototherapy uses energy-producing light waves to refresh the skin.
“It helps stimulate new collagen and improve skin elasticity,” says Samantha Glover, lead esthetician. “After this therapy, clients will notice the reduced appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and dark spots.”
Another skincare innovation is the NuFace Quick Lift. During the treatment, the esthetician glides a skin-toning device over your face sending microcurrents into the skin to improve your facial contour and skin tone. It can lift your entire face or focus on smaller targeted areas, such as around your eyes and lip.
“You will see instant results as your skin will be tighter and firmer,” says Samantha. “It also has a cumulative effect so the more you do it, the better the results.”
Clients can purchase this hand-held device for at-home treatments to use between facials.
The spa uses Dermalogica professional skin care products, as well as Clarity RX plant-based skincare made with no harsh chemicals, extenders, fillers, fragrance or artificial colors.
In addition to massages and facials, the spa offers convenient face and body hair removal services for men and women. The licensed estheticians use a botanically based wax-free system to remove hair on the face, arms, legs, back and bikini area.
Services Menu
Though quite large at 3,200 square feet, the spa is intimate as it has 12 private treatment rooms, including a couple’s massage room.
“We can host groups that want to come in for private spa parties during the week or on the weekend,” says Dave. “We are open seven days a week, so we welcome you to come in to relax and recharge.”
Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa is located at 17100 Royalton Road in Strongsville. Hours are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For an appointment, call 440-457-8574 (walk-ins also welcome). Visit HandAndStoneStrongsville.com for more details.