In light of nonstop COVID variant/vaccine booster chatter, combined with a growing mistrust of the one-size-fits-all medical solution for certain health issues, there has been a rise of alternative, holistic-minded health tenants.
True REST Float Spa is an example of this type of tenant, as its service is providing flotation-based aquatherapy for such ailments as pain relief, anxiety, insomnia and muscle soreness. The customer floats atop 10 inches of water filled with 1,000 pounds of Epsom Salts inside of a pitch-black tank pod for an hour, resulting in a peaceful, zero-gravity weightlessness sensation that is transformative.
“People are finally becoming more open-minded about enhancing their life, productivity and health without having the negative side effects of big pharma,” said Mandy Rowe, director of franchising at True REST Float Spa. “The top reasons people find True REST is for pain relief, relaxation and better sleep, and they are usually looking to avoid prescription drugs.”
Although its aquatherapy services appeal to men and women between the ages of 35 and 55, its client base runs the gamut, with customers as young as 14 and as old as 75.
“Awareness is one of our top priorities,” Rowe said. “Once people know how impactful float therapy can be for their anxiety and pain, they may never go back to traditional methods to find a moment of relief.”
True REST Float Spa seeks out space as small as 2,000 s.f. for its four-pod units, up to 3,000-s.f. for its six-pod prototypes. As a destination location, it prefers to be in a B+ area that is quiet with sufficient parking, and ideally, in a single-level building to avoid any noise.
“We are also aware we share a lot of the same clients as other brands that offer massage, cryotherapy, acupuncture, med spa and chiropractic, so we thrive in NNN areas where we can leverage those kinds of business-to-business partners,” Rowe said.
Looking toward the future, True REST will be testing out such concepts as offering virtual reality technology and music menu options inside of its float pods. The brand is also allowing its franchisees to reconfigure the video room into a salt cave — a room filled with small salt particles that are purported to improve breathing.
“We want to keep our model simple, so what we have done is found ways to enhance the float experience without adding any extra square footage or skilled labor,” Rowe said.
For more specific information on True REST Float Spa’s targeted growth goals, and to learn of other tenants in the alternative health category that are expanding, please subscribe to the Crittenden Retail Tenants newsletter.
