Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa Seeks to Expand Throughout Canada

Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa has been building on strong momentum ever since the brand was launched in 2004. Since then, the spa franchise has grown to more than 475 locations, including 30-plus in Canada that are concentrated primarily around the Toronto area. Now, Hand & Stone is preparing to leverage its market share to support even more growth throughout Canada, with a goal to open five new spas in Vancouver, five in Edmonton and seven in Calgary.

Hand & Stone’s first location in Canada opened in 2009. At that time, massage options throughout the country were limited almost entirely to high-end luxury spas and chiropractic or physiotherapist offices. It was Hand & Stone who introduced a new option: luxury massage services made accessible to all consumers through reasonable pricing, including membership options.

By bringing massage services to a larger customer base, Hand & Stone also opened up much-needed opportunities for massage therapists.

“Before Hand & Stone arrived in Canada, many massage therapists were struggling to find consistent work because there weren’t many spas, or because they were working at clinics that didn’t offer consistent scheduling,” said Gigi Harding, president of Hand & Stone in Canada. “They would serve the client and then sit around for a few hours waiting for the next appointment, if there even was one.”

Harding says her team knew there was a big opportunity for Hand & Stone in Canada. By offering an affordable, luxury experience, flexible memberships and a wide variety of services, Hand & Stone “opened up a whole new market of consumers,” Harding said.

Andrew Chandna, who has owned and operated Hand & Stone’s Saskatoon location since 2017, attests to the demand for mainstream massage services in Canada. “The community response to Hand & Stone has been great,” he said. “Customers love the reasonable prices and the different massage therapy and facial services we provide.”

Still, the franchise has been decidedly cautious in its growth strategy throughout Canada, ensuring that every location is set up for success.

“Every market is slightly different when it comes to regulations for massage therapists and estheticians, employment rates and the real estate market, and we make sure to do our research to ensure that we can successfully launch in that area,” Nicole Alburger, senior director of franchise development for Hand & Stone said.

In addition to that research, Hand & Stone leverages the expertise of both its Canadian and U.S. team members to ensure its franchisees get all the support they need.

“This support infrastructure includes experts who are available to help in all aspects of business, whether that’s marketing, sales, administration or IT,” said Alburger. “We have a ton of knowledge and experience that franchisees are able to access both here in Canada and in the U.S.”

Elaine McSevney and Stephanie Santi are the franchise owners of the Hand & Stone in Oakville, Ontario. Santi says the brand’s corporate support has been more valuable than ever in 2020. “Especially during these trying times, the corporate team has been so supportive of our business every step of the way,” said Santi. “They prioritize easy communication and encourage growth. Now, we have continued to innovate in order to appeal to consumer demand.”

With this exceptional support and strong business model, Hand & Stone Canada has created an opportunity for entrepreneurs who are ready to operate a business that can become a pillar of its community. Now, Hand & Stone is ready to take that opportunity to new markets throughout the Great White North.

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 *