Dayspa

DEC 2013

DAYSPA is the magazine of spa management. Spa owners and spa managers turn to DAYSPA for spa management trends, spa management tips and more.

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Owner Allt (posing by the former vault, right) converted a marbleladen bank lobby into an expansive spa retail area. TRANSFORMATIONS Only one year before his spa's grand opening, Drew Allt, then a meeting planner for a New York City publishing company, had been deliberating about his next career move. He lived in Bayshore, but spent most of his time either commuting into Manhattan or crisscrossing the country to plan events for his employer. Certainly the transformation from this life to that of a local spa owner seemed unlikely, but several factors came into play: 1) Allt found that the highlight of his business trips was always his visits to spas; 2) He had recently suffered a back injury, and rehab included working with a personal trainer, the benefits of which were undeniable; 3) He'd grown up with a mother who was a school nurse, so the wellness concept was ever-present in his life; and 4) His hectic schedule had left him feeling disconnected from his own town. Analyzing these realities and factoring in some previous retail experience at J. Crew, Allt decided to create a new business that could be a significant participant in the revitalization of downtown Bayshore. His daily commute took him by a beautiful but abandoned limestone, art-deco building right on the main street—a former bank. At 10,000 square feet, it was larger than he needed, but Allt couldn't get it out of his mind. As the concept for his business took shape, he envisioned all the different ways he could use the space, so he and his partner, Dr. Richard Byrnes (a member of the American College of Aesthetic and Cosmetic Physicians as well as a practicing radiologist), surged ahead and purchased the building in December 2006. 70 DAYSPA | DECEMBER 2013 What followed was a six-month, $2 million gut renovation, including upgrades of the HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems, and the addition of an elevator. Drew Patrick Spa officially opened on July 14, 2007, well ahead of other spa/fusion businesses now in the area. Today, the high ceilings and wide-open expanse of the bank's former teller area lend themselves to retail temptation, and what was once an awkward corner is now a coffee bar/café. The former mortgage office area have become men's and women's locker rooms, a yoga studio and a personal training gym. And the second floor now houses a tranquil waiting lounge and 10 treatment rooms, including a couple's suite and equipment for medical spa treatments. FITS AND STARTS Allt believed that having different revenue streams would enable him to broaden his reach in Bayshore, and that the retail and café components would invite foot traffic. However, he still needed to educate the community on the variety of options awaiting them

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