New spa focuses on massage therapy

How do you unwind? Loretta Wendel’s favorite way is with a deep tissue massage.

The previous owner of Little Flower Day Spa finds that most of her customers look for the same treatment to relax. At Family Share Massage, she and her therapists aim to provide shareable relaxation for the Mountain Brook community.

Wendel received training as an aesthetician before opening Little Flower Day Spa in 2010. The spa was a full-service hair and nail salon and also featured massages. Having all of the treatments in one place began to have its issues, Wendel said. Customers visiting the hair and nail salons often enjoyed talking and laughing with their stylists and friends. The small space was not noise-friendly to guests looking for the quiet rejuvenation of a massage.

Seeing this, Wendel decided to create a new business as a branch of Little Flower specifically for massage treatments. Family Share Massage is now up and running as a separate endeavor. Wendel recently sold  Little Flower Day Spa and now focuses solely on Family Share Massage. 

“Little Flower grew so much and so quickly,” she said. “I didn’t realize the demand.”

A shareable massage plan is what separates Family Share Massage from other spas, Wendel said. Members of the Family Share Massage Membership Plan receive a one-hour massage each month for $55 per month. The massages can be used by the member themselves or given to another family member, spouse or friend with no additional transfer fee. 

Construction recently completed on the space and it is now in full swing. It features a couples’ massage room with two beds and three single massage rooms. Members can purchase an additional massage for a double or couple massage at their member rate. 

For each massage, customers can fill out a diagram of the body and indicate their most troublesome spots. The therapist is then able to focus on those spots during the massage. 

Although the deep tissue massage is their most requested treatment, several different types are offered, Wendel said. Family Share Massage is now offering one-on-one yoga classes and Thai yoga massage, which is a fully clothed, yoga-like stretching treatment. During this massage, a therapist stretches customers to alleviate pain and stiffness. 

“You can’t stretch yourself the way that they can get you into these positions,” Wendel said.

As the business grows, Wendel hopes to bring both old and new clients into the spa through its shareable membership program.

“It’s great [because] you’re exposing a new person to a fabulous place and a great massage,” she said.