TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Business Rubs You The Right Way

ADVERTISEMENT

By LAURA KINSLER, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 10, 2007

NEW TAMPA - When customers emerge from the softly lit rooms at the new Massage Shoppe, their eyes are glazed and they speak in hushed tones.

That's exactly the reaction owner Scott Kilbourne is going for.
Kilbourne has expanded his thriving massage business into New Tampa after four years in Hyde Park. His goal is to offer a luxury service at affordable prices, and he's able to keep prices low by eliminating some of the frills that usually come with a day at the spa.

There's no juice bar, no fluffy white robes, no mud wraps. Instead, he has nine licensed massage therapists who take appointments and walk-in business.

"We have nice, simple, clean rooms," Kilbourne said. "We do a lot of massage. The idea is volume."

He spent two years looking for a large-enough space in New Tampa to open a second location. He chose a storefront in The Walk at Highwoods Preserve shopping center for its size and proximity to the Interstate 75 interchange.

The new Massage Shoppe has 10 treatment rooms, including one couple's room, and a "relaxation room" where clients can unwind before the massage. Prices start at $35 for a 25-minute Swedish massage. The standard 50-minute massage costs $49. Add $10 more for deep-tissue or prenatal massage.

"We've been open three weeks, and we're already getting return clients," Kilbourne said. "That's the whole idea: to keep the prices low enough so people can afford to do it on a regular basis, just like they get their hair and nails done."
Kilbourne didn't set out to be in the massage business. He studied business at the University of South Florida and after graduation went to work as a systems manager for IBM. But he suffered from debilitating back pain and began using massage therapy for relief.

"I still get massages regularly, and I do a lot of stretching," he said. "That combination has helped me."

When IBM downsized, he took a buyout and decided to become a licensed therapist. The computer giant even paid for his schooling.

"I wasn't planning to do it professionally," he said. "I just wanted to learn more about my own body, but I fell in love with the business."

IF YOU GO

WHAT: The Massage Shoppe

WHERE: 17502 Preserve Walk Lane

WHEN: Open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday

INFORMATION: Call (813) 341-7352. Walk-ins are accepted; reservations are preferred.

Reporter Laura Kinsler can be reached at (813) 865-4844 or lkinsler@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT