Hand & Stone Massage Franchise Looks to Double Canadian Footprint; Build Upon 30 Plus Existing Locations

With 31 Canadian locations currently in operation in addition to the nearly 500 throughout the United States, Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa, one of Forbes top franchise opportunities of 2019, has launched a franchise growth strategy to more than double its Canadian footprint.

The premier name in the luxury spa services industry has identified opportunities in Vancouver, Coquitlam, Abbotsford, Walnut Grove, Langley City, Surrey, Richmond, Burnaby, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon and Winnipeg.

Several aspects of the Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa brand position it well to thrive in the Canadian market, including stellar customer service, increased demand for spa services and a strong and supportive corporate team.

According to Roxanne Power, Hand & Stone’s Ajax, Ontario franchisee, Hand & Stone’s customer service and professionalism make it a true standout in the Canadian market.

**“What I love most [about Hand & Stone] is the personal touch the brand offers—we are so driven by customer service,” Power said. “You won’t experience many places where you’ll receive exceptional customer service. We are seen as professionals that do the best job out there, from the time you walk in the door to that first smile, that first welcome.

We pride ourselves on our knowledge, compassion and exceptional treatment of each individual client ... There's no sales pitch, we are true to our word. We want to help each and every individual take time for themselves and feel good about it.

Our team atmosphere is extraordinary and each person that walks in can see that.”

Additionally, Power noted that people are increasingly making spa-therapy services a more consistent ritual in their lives, therefore creating a lot of opportunities for Hand & Stone owners.

“People are prioritizing wellness and self-care more and more,” she said. “In this crazy world, we always put other people first and forget that we have to take care of ourselves in order to take care of others and enjoy life—and Hand & Stone does that for people.”

Andrew Chandan, Hand & Stone’s Saskatoon, Saskatchewan franchisee, expresses similar sentiments about how people are increasingly prioritizing spa services, which creates manifold growth opportunities for the brand.

“Most massage-therapy services are covered by insurance in Canada, so a lot of people are increasingly utilizing these services and on a more frequent basis,” he said. “Hand & Stone’s membership-based model not only gives people an incentive to treat themselves on a monthly basis, but it does so at an affordable price.”

Chandan added: “Massage therapy use is continuously growing in Canada, so trying to meet that demand is where the growth opportunity lies. As the saying goes, ‘If you build it, they will come.’ If you build a Hand & Stone location, people will come.”

What’s more, both Power and Chandan tout Hand & Stone’s corporate/development team and how they make new and existing franchisees feel like family. “From the first phone call, to the sit-down meetings, I was very impressed with how it was so family oriented and how they were so easy to work with,” Power said. “Everything just felt right.”

Chandan had a similar experience: “When I first met with the Hand & Stone team, I thought they portrayed the company’s vision exceptionally well,” he said. “I thought the business was a great fit for what I wanted to do and they made me feel like we were one big family.”

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$414,500 to CA$625,000 with a franchise fee of CA$39,000. 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 ***