Hand & Stone Has Carolina On Its Mind

Hand & Stone
Published: November 14th, 2023

Leading Spa Franchise Grows with Nine New Spas and Signed Agreements in North and South Carolina, and Spa Manager Becomes Franchise Owner

November 14, 2023 // Franchising.com // Trevose, PA - Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa, the nation’s leading luxury massage and facial spa franchise, announced today the brand’s expansion across the Carolinas with five new locations, including recently opened spas in Monroe, North Carolina and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, as well as new spa pipeline both Charlotte, NC and Myrtle Beach, SC. This announcement comes on the heels of the brand’s recent announcement of eight new spas in Chicago, underscoring the development success attained since the beginning of 2023.

“At Hand & Stone we have witnessed firsthand how our members and owners are living their best life, including our owners in North and South Carolina. While we have 36 spas across both states, we have over 40 fantastic available trade areas to develop. Our proven success has attracted new and existing franchisees to continue developing their spas, and we couldn’t be more thrilled,” said Jennifer Durham, Chief Development Officer at Hand & Stone. “These franchise owners share our commitment to delivering premium wellness services and memorable spa experiences to allow each guest that walks into their spas a well-deserved break to focus on themselves.”

To accelerate development in the Carolinas, Hand & Stone is partnering with the following franchisees:

• After years of being members of their local Hand & Stone, Pia and Howard Foard are stepping into business ownership with the brand. Howard is a US Army Veteran where he served in the 2D Infantry Division and the 82D Airborne Division. After his military service, Howard led teams as an Executive Consultant specializing in National Security and Cyber Security readiness. Pia is an HR executive also in technology focused on cultivating a culture that advances great talent. Howard and Pia are poised to bring two new Hand & Stone locations to the Charlotte area, marking the dynamic duo's first-ever venture into franchise business ownership.
• Lynn and Jorge Rosende are also military veterans and amazing leaders with a heart for service. Last year they honored fellow veterans by comping 74 services for military personnel at their Fuquay Varina and Wake Forest, North Carolina spa locations on Veterans Day. They are looking to continue that tradition this year and expand their portfolio to three spa locations in the Raleigh-Durham market.
• Established franchise owners, Traci and Anthony Nocito, ventured south to open their first South Carolina Hand & Stone in Myrtle Beach this summer. After their initial success within the market, the Nocitos are now growing their portfolio with a commitment to open an additional two spas in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. “As a former member of Hand & Stone, I’m grateful to now have the opportunity to provide the luxury experience that results in clients leaving the spa looking and feeling their best,” said Traci Nocito.
• Hand & Stone’s largest franchisee Eric Danver has added an additional location under his belt in Monroe, North Carolina. The Monroe location marks Danver’s 54th Hand & Stone spa, and his 10th in North Carolina. Eric’s growth in the Carolinas isn’t stopping there. He has plans to open another North Carolina spa in the Charlotte market in 2024. Eric’s goal is to grow his footprint to 100 total spas across the country.
• One of the most exciting new Carolina franchise owners were Brittany and Robert Cole. After 12 successful years, owners Ken Bowen and Karen Thomas transferred ownership to their long-time spa manager Brittany Cole. The Cary Waverly spa in North Carolina was the fifth spa to open in North Carolina. Brittany spent the majority of her career in the medical field before switching to spa management. For Brittany, her medical background prepared her for the career journey she has taken on with spa management and now franchise owner. Ultimately, she wants to make people feel good and strongly believes the Hand & Stone brand does just that. As for Robert, he currently serves Full Time as a First Sergeant in the NC Army National Guard. With over 15 years of military service, Robert brings a useful leadership strategy and knowledge to the Cary Waverly spa.

The upcoming Carolina Hand & Stone spas will bring high-quality professional massage services, including Swedish, Himalayan Salt, Sports, Deep Tissue, Oncology and Prenatal massages to the community. Guests can also visit the new spa to enjoy Hand & Stone’s best-in-class facial and hair removal treatments tailored to each individual's needs or skin concerns, with a wide-range of services available for women, men and teens. For more information on franchising opportunities, please visit www.handandstonefranchise.com.

The brand is actively seeking qualified candidates to help grow its footprint throughout North America. For more information on franchising opportunities, please visit www.handandstonefranchise.com.

About Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa 

Hand & Stone is a nearly 600-unit massage and facial spa franchise with a mission to bring affordable, luxury spa services to all. Launched in 2004, Hand & Stone now has locations across 36 states and Canada. Each spa features best-in-class skincare treatments highlighting the latest in cosmetic technology. Available for women, men and teens, a wide range of services are tailored to each individual's needs or skin concerns. Hand & Stone facial treatments are performed by licensed estheticians, using top-of-the-line products backed by science including Dermalogica, IMAGE Skincare and ClarityRx Clinical Skin Care. The fastest-growing spa franchise in the country, Hand & Stone has been named No. 1 in the spa category by Entrepreneur Magazine in 2023, 2021 and 2020 and was ranked No. 8 on Forbes' Best Franchises to Buy list in the high investment category. For more information, visit www.handandstonefranchise.com.  

SOURCE Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa