DELMAR — Balance Massage and Healing Arts, a long-running massage studio in Delmar, doubled in size last week and owner Denise Healy Mason said it all felt just right.
Also known as the Balance Massage Studio, it is located on 316 Delaware Ave. and it originally opened on Dec. 5, 2001. With eight licensed massage therapists including Mason, it offers a diverse assortment of services like aromatherapy, chakra balancing, Swedish massage, wellness packages, craniosacral therapy, deep tissue massage, trigger point therapy and more.
“It’s always been in the same location and on Nov. 1 [this year], my landlord said the space next to me was available,” Mason said. “Doubling it in size was really about wanting space for a classroom and I love teaching about oils, crystals and energy systems.” Mason said she also looks to maybe incorporate yoga, meditation, poetry reading and paint-and-sip into her studio in the future.
Balance Massage and Healing Arts celebrated its ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 5, which was attended by Bethlehem and Guilderland Chambers of Commerce members, supportive family and friends, and local well-wishers.
“We’re thrilled with this new space and the opportunities it gives people to come and be well spiritually and physically,” said Maureen McGuinness, the Bethlehem Chamber’s president, who showered Mason with praise. “So thank you for doing this.”
The ceremony was followed by an open house where residents could take advantage of exclusive deals and prices that night reverted back to how much they were in 2001. The studio has also been accepting donations of non-perishable food from the public and along with all proceeds from the open house, they are given to benefit Street Soldiers — a Selkirk-based grassroots organization that provides hot meals and essentials to the homeless and people in need.
Gratitude was one of Mason’s main keywords of the night.
She thanked everyone who attended the ceremony and open house, as well as those who have donated food so far. She also thanked her fellow colleagues and the business’ loyal patrons throughout the years. “We love what we do and we come to work and support each other like a family. There’s no gossip and no nonsense,” she said.
Mason also said she continues to enjoy going up to the Helderberg Mountains where she does her meditation. “When I’m up there, I do my prayer and that’s where I get my guidance from,” she said. “My spirituality is with nature.”
When asked why she thinks her business has been able to remain open for years now and even have the chance to expand, Mason said, “We do it with integrity. We come from a place where we have set values and we don’t jack prices up just because we’ve been around for so long. It’s not about the money. I really do believe we’re here for a purpose and if we are in alignment with that, we can be so creative.”
Mason added that she has no plans to further expand her massage studio’s space or even have a second location. “This is enough for me now and I want to do it well,” she said. “If an opportunity comes up in two years, great. But now, it’s all a baby first step forward and I want this new first year to run smoothly. It’s like I’ve created a whole new business within a business.”
For more information, visit www.balancemassagestudio.com or call 518-465-9999.
Photos by Diego Cagara / Spotlight News
