Hand & Stone Massage & Facial Spa Eyes Expansion To Greenwich Area - Patch

[Richard Kaufman]

GREENWICH, CT — Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa, a wellness franchise with over 650 locations across 38 states and Canada, is eyeing the Greenwich/Stamford area for expansion.


Founded in New Jersey in 2004 by John Marco, a physical therapist looking to make high-quality wellness services accessible to more people, Hand & Stone offers a variety of customized massage, facial, and skincare services. Top-of-the-line retail skincare products, such as Dermalogica, IMAGE Skincare, and ClarityRx Clinical Skin Care, can also be purchased.

The business is membership-based and features a rewards program and discounts, but a membership isn't required to take advantage of services.


Specific locations for expansion in the area have not been identified yet, according to Jennifer Durham, head of development for Hand & Stone. There are two other CT locations currently open in Orange and Norwalk.

"We know that in the region there is really an amazing awareness for wellness. We really think that the consumer is very much a Hand & Stone consumer, so that's why we're really being proactive about targeting the Greenwich and Stamford markets specifically and looking for the right franchise owners," Durham told Patch this week.


Hand & Stone spas are typically 2,400-2,800 square feet with around eight to 10 treatment rooms, and they're usually opened in "convenient and accessible locations," Durham said, citing a grocery store anchor plaza or big box retailer area as examples.

"When we look at our customers, they're really focused on health and well-being, so our brand is really focused on routine and incorporating these services as part of your wellness routine," Durham said.


Potential franchise owners should be hands-on owner-operators who run the spa day-to-day, or engaged leaders who work on the business, not in it, with the help of spa managers they've hired.

Durham noted that revenue for Hand & Stone locations on an average basis is about 40 percent more than competitors in the same category. The business is different from its competitors in that it offers a facial component, Durham said, and the services menu is more extensive.


"We do on average about $1.4 million per location, so franchise owners should expect that that would be their performance, if not better," Durham said. From an investment standpoint, the initial investment, without any working capital, is about $500,000, Durham added.

"It's really a lucrative opportunity because you can really drive a good return on investment over the term of your franchise."

A new location opens up usually 10 to 12 months after a franchise owner signs an agreement, according to Durham.

"It really depends on the availability of real estate or if there is something immediately available. If there is a new development, it can take a little. bit longer," she said.

In 2024, the brand secured 28 franchise agreements with new and existing franchisees, and opened 26 units while converting 30 more existing spas into Hand & Stone locations.


In 2025, 40 to 50 new locations are expected to open, Durham said.

For more information on Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa, visit their website.