24
February 2016
Business
True REST Float Spa opens a local franchise
BY MICHELLE TALSMA EVERSON
Laura Witte, PA-C, Ph.D., has led an impressive career in health care and academia; she’s worked as a physician assistant and as faculty and a program director at A.T. Still University in Mesa. However, even though she was teaching allopathic (Western) medicine, she wanted to find a way to help people in a more natural way. This path led her on a one-of-a-kind journey to opening a floatation therapy spa. “It was a really great career but, in my heart, I wanted to do something with holistic medicine,” Witte said. Around the time she started contemplating a career change, her husband, Alden, bought a Groupon for the Tempe location of True REST Float Spa and Witte said he fell in love with the unique therapy—so much so that the couple became friends with the spa owners and Alden begin to sell the pods used in the therapy. So what is floatation therapy? Witte explained: “Imagine floating in a big egg-shaped pod filled with 10 inches of water and approximately 1,200 pounds of pharmaceutical grade magnesium sulfate [Epsom salts]. The Epsom salts get absorbed into the body through the skin while you float for an hour, gravity free.” She added that benefits of floatation therapy include pain relief, stress relief and detoxifying the body. It can also help with injury recovery and dermatological issues, Witte said. She
also added that the therapy is gaining traction among top artists, celebrities and athletes. “Artists are floating because floating tends to increase creativity. We like to say that we ‘go into the pod as humans and come out as poets,’” Witte explained. “Athletes are floating before their big games and matches to help with mental clarity and performance— and afterward to aid in recovery.” Once Witte learned more about the therapy and befriended the other spa owners, she was given the chance to franchise—and at first she said no. “I had a steady paycheck, a 1-yearold baby and another [baby] on the way,” she said. “But, as time went on, we talked about it, found all of the resources we could, and decided to go for it.” In 2014, Witte and her husband decided to “go all in”—he would maintain his full-time job while she quit hers to open and manage the new True REST Float Spa in Gilbert. The decision to move forward might have been the easiest part though. “Once we got the ball rolling there was challenge after challenge,” Witte said. “The building was delayed almost a year; we officially opened in November 2015.” Since opening Witte said the reception to the new True REST Float Spa location has been good. “So much now is about education; letting the public know what floatation therapy is
True REST Float Spa in Gilbert features pods that contain water saturated with Epson salt. Users float in the pods for an hour; the practice, known as floatation therapy, is said to have many health benefits. Submitted photo
about,” she noted. The business has three pod rooms but has room for five pods, so they hope to add two more within the next few months. Her long-term goal is to see floatation therapy embraced by locals as a staple in their lives as part of overall wellness, such as getting a massage. “We have a membership-based pay system, which is really the best way to get the full effects of the therapy,” Witte said. “The second float is always better than the first.” “It’s been amazing to see first-hand other people experience the therapy,” she continued. “We had one client
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walk in with a migraine and walk out without one; same with another client who had trouble walking that day due to pain.” In addition, Witte would like to partner with local businesses to network. She said she appreciates the sense of community there is among local businesses and hopes to be a part of building that. True REST Float Spa’s new Gilbert location is located at 1525 N. Gilbert Rd. Learn more at www.TrueREST.com.
Alcohol service delivers the ‘proof’ to Chandler, Gilbert BY TIM J. RANDALL
It is 4 p.m. and there are 10 people arriving at your house for a 6 p.m. party. All is set from the food to the music to the cocktails and wine and you realize you forgot the beer. Not to worry, because a new ondemand alcohol delivery service, Minibar, entered the Valley, including Chandler, on Jan. 11. The company, which was cofounded by Lindsey Andrews and Lara Crystal in New York City, provides an Uber-like experience for customers by linking patrons with vendors via the company’s website or app. “We provide a convenient way for the customer who may be too busy to run an errand to purchase alcohol,” Crystal said. Delivery for a customer’s first month of service is waived, with each subsequent delivery $5 and a delivery minimum of $25. Launched in February 2014, the company has grown rapidly across the country. “We’re thrilled to be expanding to Phoenix, our 20th Minibar market, and are excited to provide its residents with an easier way to shop for wine, spirits, beer and more,” said Andrews. Minibar works like this: Enter the delivery address and then, with a few mouse clicks or taps of a finger, choose wine, beer and spirits. Chandler and Gilbert residents are in close proximity to Minibar’s store partners Chandler Liquors and Liquor Wheel 2, 554 N. Arizona Ave., and Liquor Wheel 2 at 3445 E. McDowell Rd. in Phoenix. In addition
to Chandler and Gilbert, downtown and North Phoenix customers can access Minibar. “We have plans to expand across the Phoenix metro,” said Crystal. “We are really excited about Phoenix and think we are going to be very successful.” Expansion plans include Scottsdale and Tempe. The duo hopes to eventually move into the West Valley and beyond. “We look forward to continuing to grow our footprint throughout sunny Arizona,” said Andrews. In addition to one-time orders, Minibar offers an auto-refill option for delivery at intervals from one to four weeks. Its platform also includes a party planning tool, tasting notes, pairing recommendations, cocktail recipes and gift delivery. For more information, visit: https://minibardelivery.com/store.