Hand and Stone Featured in Philadelphia Business Journal

Hand & Stone was just featured in the Philadelphia Business Journal because of its success helping franchisees save money! With the economy in a rough patch, Hand & Stone is pitching in where it can to support their franchisees. Check a portion of the story below or read the entire article here:

In a slow year, franchisors cut deals to keep growing
Philadelphia Business Journal - by Sonja Sherwood Staff Writer

With business loans still hard to come by, franchisors unwilling to sacrifice growth are making their systems more affordable to new owners by reducing franchise fees, offering incentives, providing in-house financing or scrutinizing their business model for savings that can be shared throughout the system.

Hand & Stone, a Hamilton, N.J.-based spa concept with eight locations in the Philadelphia area, saves each franchisee tens of thousands of dollars on average by negotiating favorable rent and cashback from the landlord for tenant improvements.

“A lot of landlords have got a lot more vacancy than they used to,” said Bob McQuillan, vice president for franchise development. “There’s not a lease that we’ve done that we haven’t received money back from the landlord.” (Read More)

Hand & Stone featured in The Trentoninan

Hand & Stone was recently featured in The Trentoninan in Trenton, NJ about its new Hamilton location as well as CEO Todd Leff’s decision to move the franchise’s headquarters to the Hamilton area. The new spa location has been receiving tremendous traffic since its opening in early June. Leff hopes to capitalize on the demand in the area by drawing on Philadelphia’s “wealth of talent in franchising” to bolster his management team.


“It was awesome. I really enjoyed it. I’m really relaxed now,” said 25-year-old Lindsay Linderman of Bordentown after she received a 15-minute rubdown at the new Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa at the Hamilton Marketplace.

“He did exactly what I needed him to do: He relieved the tension in my back,” Linderman said of the Hand & Stone employee who gave her the soothing massage.

That man was Anton Yankelevich, 26, who became a certified massage therapist about two years ago after giving up on his unrewarding stints as a car salesman and construction worker.

“I’m doing something I enjoy,” Yankelevich, a Philadelphia resident originally from Ewing, said of his prowess as a massage therapist. “It’s kind of an art. I like muscles.”

When Yankelevich found out how pleased Linderman was with his massage, his face widened with a big grin and he said, “That feels good. Just making the world a better place.”

Yankelevich’s co-workers share the view that they make people’s lives better through the therapy they provide as massage therapists.

(Read More)

Fred and Steve Vicario, Regional Developers of Hand and Stone, New Jersey

Franchisees Since: February 2008

Franchise Locations: Owners of Marlton and Vorhees locations; Regional Developers of Central and South Jersey


How Fred and Steve Vicario Got Started With Hand and Stone…
Between Fred and Steve, the two brothers have extensive business experience in franchise development and small business ownership. Fred comes with a long list of experience in the franchising industry, which spans over 20 years. He got his start with Maaco, an auto body and collision center franchise, on the franchise development team, where he was responsible for helping entrepreneurs become franchisees with Maaco. While there, Fred and his wife, decided to become franchisees themselves. They bought The Goddard School, which they have been running for the past nine years in Laurel Springs, NJ. Steve owns a hardscaping business, which he has been doing for about five years.


Ready for their next adventure, Fred and Steve had discovered that the massage industry was booming and looked into their options in franchising within the industry. At first, Fred and Steve researched a competitor of Hand and Stone, but determined that the support would be better with Hand and Stone since the corporate office was virtually in their backyard. It also seemed to Fred and Steve that Hand and Stone was vested in supporting its franchisees more so than the competition.


Fred and Steve became Regional Developers for Hand and Stone…
In February 2008, Fred and Steve opened their first Hand and Stone location in Marlton, NJ. With previous experience in franchise development, they felt that they had the opportunity to build something for their futures with Hand and Stone. Only four months after opening their first location, Fred and Steve became regional developers for Hand and Stone in Central and South Jersey.


In the regional developer role, they work with potential Hand and Stone franchisees in Central and South Jersey including Monmouth, Ocean, Middlesex, Somerset, Hunterton and Mercer to educate them on the Hand and Stone concept and walk them through the franchise process. Currently, Fred and Steve have three locations within their territory and are in the process of opening seven more this year. Despite the economy, 2010 has been the fastest-growing year in terms of sales and number of locations for Fred and Steve, and within their territory, there is potential for 20-30 more Hand and Stone locations.


This September, Fred and Steve are opening their second location as franchisees in Vorhees.