Pulse September 2018 | Page 30

“Make sure you understand your local codes and permits. We often found ourselves waiting on an inspection or permit, especially early in the project.” —clivE McNish, general manager, glen Ivy Hot Springs With the renovation now complete, Sundara has begun promoting its new facilities using both social media and tradi- tional methods. “Writers and reporters have added great credibility to our campaign,” said Michel, “and our local visitor bureau and state department of tourism helped spread the word, too.” Moving up In a city as tightly-packed as Boston, Massachusetts, G2O Salon + Spa found themselves with a need to expand, but — unlike Sundara — no where to expand to. For them, their renovation plans necessitated a move to an entirely new building and redesigning the space from the ground up. Moving is nothing new to G2O, though. Over their nearly 25-year history, the spa’s continued growth has seen them move twice after starting with just 5,000-square-feet of floor- space in 1994. “It’s my belief that if your business isn’t always moving forward, it will eventually just lose ground,” said Joyce Hampers, founder and CEO of G2O Salon + Spa. It’s that need for continued forward motion that led G2O to move to its new, 17,000-square-foot space and capitalize on salt therapy trends by building several salt-centric areas, including a salt sauna and salt pod therapy room. They also added two large lounges for relaxation, eating and socializing, and empha- sized a spacious, two-story lobby area. G2O chose a contractor with whom they’ve previously worked, as well as an architect with prior experience designing spas; both were vital to the success of the project, according to Hampers. Because G2O was renovating an entirely separate facility, they were able to stay open and fully operational during the entire process. This also allowed their renovation to move quickly, with only nine months between the initial planning (contInUED on PAgE 30) glen ivy’s renovations focused on updating amenities like the locker rooms and goco cafe. 28 PULSE ■ September 2018