Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa Reopens First Canadian Spa in Saskatoon Post-COVID-19

In an industry that relies primarily on human touch, reopening post-COVID was going to present several challenges for Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa franchisee Andrew Chandna.

As a franchisee since 2017 with the 450-plus unit brand, Chandna’s belief in the corporate team allowed him to see this obstacle as an opportunity to create the safest spa experience for his employees and customers in the Saskatoon region. That belief resulted in a fully booked first week of business with superior client satisfaction.

“With a lot of these new implementations and guidelines, I can’t think of a safer industry to be in within a retail environment,” Chandna said. “Responses from our members and guests have been very positive, and we are happy to have personal interaction again.”

Safety protocols

The health and safety protocols Hand & Stone has implemented includes sanitizing all service rooms and tools with approved Health Canada registered disinfectants, checking employee temperatures before each shift, continued use fresh linens for each client, cleaning and disinfecting in between client appointments, and ensuring that masks are worn at all times by employees and, upon client requests, service providers to wear gloves during services.

In addition, staff members have been required to pass a spa sanitation and illness prevention course and complete a practical assessment. Lastly, Hand & Stone has implemented a new contact-lite transaction process, including digital forms.

Industry growth

As businesses continue to reopen throughout Canada, Chandna expects to see continued growth in the massage and facial industry. Given the current health crisis, there is an inherent need for stress relief. Hand & Stone’s niche offering of affordable, membership-based massage, facials and hair removal services in a spa environment sets them apart from other competitors in the Canadian spa industry.

“If you look at other paramedical services, they are not growing at the same rate as massage therapy,” Chandna said. “There is an abundance of clients looking for treatments, especially given today’s environment. This is a market that is growing quickly as demand continues to rise.”

Expansion plans

With 31 locations in Canada, all now opened back up and many of which are concentrated in the Toronto area, Hand & Stone is seeking to expand its Canadian footprint by opening 14 locations in the province of Alberta with plans for further westward growth in cities such as Abbotsford, Burnaby, Calgary, Coquitlam, Edmonton, Langley, Richmond, Surrey, Vancouver and Winnipeg. One of the driving factors for growth in Alberta is manageable employment regulations compared to other provinces in Canada.

For Chandna, who was the first franchisee west of Toronto with Hand & Stone, the brand’s membership model, the layout of the spa and corporate team, as well as his own background in neuroscience, were key factors in his decision to join the growing spa franchise.

“Having Andrew Chandna lead growth for us in Western Canada was a big moment for our brand,” Gigi Harding, President of Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa Canada Corporation said. “We are proud that he was able to reopen our first Hand & Stone in Canada to re-open post-COVID. His ongoing success speaks volumes to his character and business acumen. He is a difference maker for Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa, his staff and his clients.”

Hand & Stone is always looking for new franchisees to help grow its footprint. Start-up costs to open a Hand & Stone franchise in Canada range from CA$485,730 to CA$701,780 with a franchise fee of CA$45,000. To receive a breakdown of fees, estimated initial investment costs, contracts, corporate financial statements and other valuable information included in the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), visit