DAYSPA is the magazine of spa management. Spa owners and spa managers turn to DAYSPA for spa management trends, spa management tips and more.
Issue link: https://dayspamagazine.epubxp.com/i/150126
Ummelina's rituals and journeys have been almost equally embraced by both sexes. ensure its place as one of the Pacific Northwest's top spas for the next 27 years—and beyond. THE ORIGINAL ORGANIC For Ummel, who grew up on a farm in a Mennonite community in Indiana, natural ingredients were paramount to her vision from day one. "My background was all about herbs and healing," she shares. "When I was a kid, I learned that if I got a splinter, I shouldn't dig it out but instead put the right salve on at night and it would come out on its own in the morning." As Ummel began concocting her own skincare and beauty products, she incorporated that early knowledge, shying away from chemicals and preservatives and focusing on elements of "land and sea"—especially seaweed, which finds its way into a good chunk of the spa's eponymous product line. In recent years, the industry has caught on, as clients clamor for "green" treatments and tonics. "When I started, that option simply didn't exist in this country. Now the choices are everywhere, so it's easier to find suppliers and ingredients for our formulas," says Ummel, adding that "there's more to running a truly eco-friendly spa than simply slapping on a fancy label or coat of moss-colored paint"—something she hopes eco-conscious consumers appreciate. "It's different to have an owner who truly believes in the organic, natural approach than one who is simply following the trend. It's about how the business is built, how the staff and clients are educated, about their core policies." Indeed, nature can be felt in every area of both Ummelina locations, where earthly features inspire 64 DAYSPA | SEPTEMBER 2013 the names of key interior spaces: the Desert (dry heat sauna), Rainforest (steam torrent showers and jetted hose) and Well (staff dispensary, where the various salts and essential oils are stored and mixed). THE EVER-EVOLVING CUSTOMER A great point of pride for Ummel is the scores of original customers who have followed her through the years and expansions and who still come in for regular treatments. "I've always stressed the concept of 'preventive' care rather than 'pampering,'" she says. "When people can see the difference in their body or skin, they understand the importance of return visits and don't just regard us as an unnecessary luxury." Several loyal clients have even brought in their children and grandchildren for a first spa experience, making Ummelina truly generational. Long-time clients aside, Ummel has seen some major shifts in what people are looking for in a day spa, especially since the recession began. "One of