When you want to grab a coffee, book a massage, or buy something, where do you go? When you venture into your local community, what types of businesses do you want to see?
It is always tempting to skip your local coffee shop for a convenient drive-thru, eat at a lower-cost franchise, or buy something online. However, your spending decisions, no matter how large or small, impact the landscape of your local community. When you choose to support small local businesses, you are not only making a purchasing decision but also investing in preserving the diverse character of your locality.
“Local color,” a term traditionally used in literature, provides distinctive character to narratives through local dialects, customs, settings, and traditions. In the context of small businesses, local color functions similarly in distinguishing a community’s commercial environment.
The interaction is a dynamic, mutual exchange: individual spending patterns influence the survival and evolution of local businesses, while businesses react to these decisions and contribute to the community's cultural and economic identity. When local color is valued in a community’s economy, it can stimulate a cycle of reinvestment and create an interdependent network of local businesses and consumers that reflects the area’s character and values. An independent spa sells locally made soaps; a neighborhood bakery buys apples from a nearby farm; and a bookstore has a shelf showcasing area authors, all adding layers to the community's local color.
Your spending habits act as cultural indicators, and when rooted in local pride, they can influence businesses to better represent the shared identity and values of a community. For example, local businesses may resonate with a town populated by eco-conscious consumers by offering more green products. A city full of foodies may help establish its locality as a destination for amazing cuisine, pulling revenue into its economy from the greater region.
Your dollars shape the commercial culture of your community. Do you want your purchase to contribute to the preservation of local character, or do you want to contribute to the sprawl of nationally recognizable franchises that could be in Anytown, USA?
In having the opportunity to write a piece for Short Pump City Lifestyle’s February “Love Local” edition, I want to lead with this call to action. Every dollar you spend makes a difference.
My name is Lindsey Erin Haberman. I am a dual licensed massage therapist, esthetician, and owner of Revival Spa, a boutique wellness spa in Ashland, VA.
In designing my spa, I focused on providing a comfortable environment with excellent products and services while reducing the steep overhead common in luxury spas that leads to inaccessible pricing for many. I plan to lessen the impression of massage therapy and other spa services as occasional luxuries and amplify the value of working them into regular self-care routines.
While I greatly appreciate expensive, high-end spas and their ability to deliver luxurious experiences, I wanted to avoid entering that market. Although incredibly pampering, they also have the potential to make specific demographics feel alienated. Cavernous ceilings and sleek, million-dollar modernist buildouts hosting an airbrushed assembly of perfectly manicured staff can sometimes be daunting. It can ensure that folks feel like a spa day is a once or twice-in-a-lifetime experience.
Revival Spa is a relaxed, cozy, community-oriented space offering fully customized therapeutic massage, Rolfing, facials, hypoallergenic waxing, organic body scrubs, body masks with thermal wraps, a private infrared sauna, and full body red light therapy. As a licensed massage therapist and esthetician, I offer one-of-a-kind services, such as combined massage facials starting at 90 minutes and Buccal facials that feature intraoral massage to sculpt the face and drastically reduce tension.
We are growing in phases and have received an amazing response from the community so far. We have a membership that includes a one-hour massage or facial and a 45-minute private infrared sauna or full body red light therapy session for $85 a month, with all additional services at member pricing and credits that roll over if you get too busy for your spa day.
Experience effortless online booking and purchase gift cards at revivalspas.com! Treat yourself or surprise a loved one with a delightful experience this Valentine’s Day.
Support local small businesses and make a cherished memory today. See you soon!
Revival Spa
10384 Dow Gil Rd, Suite B
Ashland, VA, 23005
Revivalspas.com
admin@revivalspas.com
(804) 677-9702