Pampering for a profit

SANDPOINT – When the pressures of her job as a software designer for American Airlines caught up with her, Darcy Chambers would check herself into a chi-chi Dallas spa. “Fix me,” she’d tell the masseuse and the manicurist. At the end of the day, she’d emerge – kneaded, polished, relaxed and ready for another round of 12- to 14-hour workdays. Today, Chambers is part of the $15 billion U.S. spa industry. She runs Heaven – the Spa in Sandpoint, selling wellness, relaxation and beauty treatments to other overtaxed professionals.

Visiting a spa is one of the fastest-growing leisure activities in the United States. More than 130 million people, most of them women, will visit a spa this year, according to industry statistics. Over the last decade the number of U.S. spa facilities has quadrupled, to more than 12,000.

The growth comes from baby boomers moving into their golden years, said Susie Ellis, president of Spa Finder Inc., a New York-based marketing firm.

“That aging baby boomer is wanting to stay looking good and feeling well,” Ellis said, “and they have the finances to do it.”

At 78 million strong, with $2 trillion in annual disposable income, boomers are the most affluent group of Americans. They’re intensely interested in their own health and willing to spend out-of-pocket dollars on alternative medicine, Ellis said. In that vein, spending $100 a month on a massage becomes insurance against hypertension or heart disease, she said.

The spa industry has responded with treatments promising to “detoxify the body,” “relax the endocrine system” and “hydrate post-menopausal skin.” Some spas are venturing into Chinese medicine and biofeedback, Ellis said. Others, such as the new $10 million spa at the Coeur d’Alene Resort, blend traditional spa treatments with outpatient esthetic procedures such as Botox and laser surgery.

At Heaven – the Spa, Chambers said she strives for a holistic atmosphere that treats body and spirit. The atmosphere starts with a view of Lake Pend Oreille and distant mountains, visible from the reception desk in the spa’s new location near Sandpoint’s city beach.

“It’s hard to feel anxious after you’ve looked at that view,” Chambers said. “We do everything we can to meet the expectation of that view.”

A bouquet of pink lilies, black leather chairs with faux-mink throws, and earth-tone décor is part of the spa’s soothing environment. Cell phones must be turned off. In a bow to the metaphysical, the treatment rooms are named after archangels – Gabriel, Michael, Rafael, Uriel and Metatron.

At 52, Chambers is part of the demographic that makes up her core business. Most of her clients are busy women with professional jobs and kids at home. Getting an $80 European facial, a $55 leg wax, or a $20 Vichy shower massage helps them relax and restores balance to their lives, she said.

“If we love ourselves, we’re in better health,” Chambers said.

Men represent about 10 percent of her clientele – a small, but growing part of her business. Nationally, men account for more than 30 percent of visits to spas.

Andrea Lyman visits Heaven – the Spa every eight to 10 weeks for a facial and leg waxing. In her mother’s generation, going to a spa would have been considered hedonistic, or “so incredibly superfluous,” said the Sagle music teacher and jewelry designer.

But that’s changed as people seek out ways to nurture themselves, and occasionally disconnect from the demands of modern life, Lyman said.

“It’s just nice to lie back and have someone pamper you for two hours,” she said. “It’s a lovely, nurturing environment. They care about you as well as the manicure.”

Ann Kasper of Sandpoint considers spas the perfect antidote to the demanding schedule she keeps as vice president of channel merchandising for Coldwater Creek Inc. Once or twice a month, she schedules the works – a massage, facial, manicure and pedicure at the Heaven spa.

“I like the atmosphere. I think it’s a lot nicer than a beauty salon, with all the chemicals and the chitchat,” Kasper said.

Chitchat draws some women to beauty salons, but Kasper said she likes to use the time for reflection.

“I prefer to have a little bit of solitude,” she said. “It’s a relaxing time.”

Spas have traditionally been solo operations, single outlets run by proprietors like Chambers. The industry’s rapid revenue growth, however, is attracting interest from larger retailers and other companies who view spa services as complementary to their core business.

Coldwater Creek is dipping its toe into the spa waters this year. The Sandpoint-based retailer is opening six day spas in test markets across the country. Each 5,000-square-foot spa will be located near a Coldwater Creek store.

“Our demographic is the spa user,” said David Gunter, company spokesman.

The apparel company targets affluent women age 35 and older – precisely the crowd that might schedule a facial, manicure or massage after an afternoon of shopping. Coldwater Creek clients gave the concept an enthusiastic reception in focus groups, Gunter said.

Three of the spas, including one in Portland, are already open. The company plans to open three more later this year in Chicago, Dallas and Santa Rosa, Calif.

Coldwater Creek will track the spas’ performance over the next 18 months, evaluating the prospects for expansion. In addition to rapid revenue growth in the spa industry, company executives are intrigued by the lack of national spa chains, according to Gunter.

“No one has really ‘Starbucked’ the day spa,” he said. “We saw that as a real opportunity.”

Other retailers, particularly high-end chains, have begun incorporating spa elements into their offerings, said Spa Finder’s Ellis. Nordstrom operates 13 spas in its 99 full-line retail stores. Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue also offer spa services. Even electronics giant Best Buy is testing out the spa scene, Ellis noted, with three trial “eq-life” stores offering electronics, health supplies and spa services.

Spa facilities in resort and convention hotels are another industry trend. The Coeur d’Alene Resort’s new spa – which opened June 1 – is critical to the resort’s long-term business plan, owner Duane Hagadone said in an earlier interview. Last year, spa revenues exceeded golf revenues in the resort industry.

“Spas are very important if you are going to compete in the big leagues,” Hagadone said.

Each day, 10,000 more baby boomers turn 50.

“There’s lot of potential for growth in the industry,” Ellis said.