Husband and wife duo Kenneth and Nichole Massey
By Alan King
AFRO Staff Writer
When husband and wife duo Kenneth and Nichole Massey opened Essence of a Man Day Spa and Barbershop, they wanted to create an environment where men felt comfortable hanging out – playing chess in the game room, grabbing complementary drinks and watching TV in the sports lounge or accessing free Wi-Fi on their laptops. “It’s an extremely wholesome environment,” Nichole said. “We intentionally created a warm, relaxing environment.”
For Kenneth, the intent was to keep other men from going through the embarrassing situations he encountered at co-ed spas. He recounted the time another customer, a woman, questioned his sexuality because he was getting a manicure and pedicure. “I don’t see many men come in and get services like this,” she told him then. When he said he was married and showed her his wedding ring, she said: “That doesn’t mean anything.” Other times, he said the women have looked at him funny. “I know other men who have experienced the same type of experience,” Kenneth said. “So I just thought this would be a great solution for that.”
In researching the demographics of Owings Mills, Kenneth noted that in 2004 (the latest census data available) males between the ages of 18 to 45 made up 30 percent of the population there.
And with a median income of $69,000, he said he knew the clientele wouldn’t have a problem affording the services. The day spa and barbershop offers massages, facials, and hand-and-foot care along with haircuts, dread loc and cornrow maintenance. For $180, the “Essentials Package” includes a haircut (with beard/mustache trim and shampoo), a 45-minute facial, an hour-long massage and business-man’s manicure and pedicure.
Clients also have the option of customizing their own packages, with 10 percent off any combination of three or more services. A favorite among the clients, he said, are the manicure and pedicure.
“They’ve found out through getting a pedicure that some of them need medical attention,” said Kenneth, who as a diabetic added that he has to have his feet groomed continuously.
Since opening its doors on May 3, the day spa and barbershop serves more than 90 men whose professions as doctors, lawyers and real estate agents add to the lively conversations. “They’re talking about real estate and the medical professions. We come to one another asking questions about law, and how we can franchise,” Kenneth said. “You learn not only as people, but as men, from one another.”
In addition to the professional services, Nichole said they also send out cards to help celebrate “major life” events with their clients. “If you have a birthday coming up, we reach out and say congratulations,” she said. For those grieving a passing family member, “We send out condolences.” She added, “Those are things that we do just to let them know: ‘Yes, we do appreciate your business, but we also appreciate you as a person.’”
Looking forward, Kenneth said they are looking to expand to other prime areas such as Laurel, where there are a majority of men who don’t have a spa exclusively for them.
About the benefits of that environment, Nichole said: “Men can get exposure to things that they’ve not necessarily been exposed to and realize that it’s not a woman’s thing to receive spa services; that men also love to be pampered.”
For more information, visit them on the web at www.essenceofamandayspa.com, or call them at (410) 363-1175.