Finding her way back to Massage Therapy after owning a successful cafe for years, Caroline Altmann is loving what she does and her life in St. Augustine.
How long have you been a massage therapist?
For eight years, although I initially started doing massage therapy in the ’90s when I was a Personal Trainer and Manager at a Gym. A good friend of mine was a massage therapist, and she introduced it to me. This was during a time when you didn’t have to have a license to practice.
What made you change career paths and stop doing massage?
My husband at the time and I opened up a pizza place in Seaside Heights, NJ for a short term lease during one summer. His family was from Italy, and his father would come and help us with the zeppole and pizza dough, needless to say, we made delicious pizza. After having success with the pizza place and finding that we worked well together, we decided to open up a cafe and catering business in Warwick N.Y. He had a lot of experience in the food business, and I love anything creative, so I took to the food business rather well. We had the cafe for fifteen years. It was successful and kept us very busy, so the Personal Training and Massage fell to the wayside.
What kind of cafe was it?
It was a funky and eclectic cafe located in an old Victorian building in an idyllic location and a great community, I loved it, we’d have local musicians come and play; we had an outdoor area near a stream out back, an Italian Ice stand, and I had fun creating the menu. It was a lot of work that’s for sure, and we both were hands-on running fourteen hour days, but it was a great business, and we enjoyed it while we did it. Ultimately, we decided to close the cafe when we divorced, but we are still good friends and I have remarred since then.
When did you get back into massage?
When we sold the business, I decided to get back into practicing massage. It was always something I loved to do. You do have to love it. I’m a healer, and I love to heal people, and I love to make people feel better. I was the lead therapist in a fantastic day spa up north, it was the best job and a difficult job to leave when we decided to move here.
Why did you choose to move to St. Augustine?
My husband was retiring, and we were ready to move to a warmer climate. He was thinking the West Coast of Florida, but I told him he needed to check out St. Augustine.
I used to come down to Florida to visit a good friend of mine every year and we would always come to St. Augustine; I had fell in love with it immediately. I remember being on St. George Street one day, looking at an old, dilapidated wine store that was for sale and I looked at my friend and said I am going to move to St. Augustine one day and have a business. So when I moved here and opened up my massage business, I called her and said, “I told you so.”
When I brought my husband here, he fell in love immediately too. We found our house and that was that.
When you moved down here did you initially think you would join a spa?
When I came here, I figured I would work at a spa part-time, but after working at a few spa's and chatting with a friend I decided in the end to do it on my own. She reminded me that I had my own studio in NJ before I took the lead massage therapist job, and that was a better way for me to go.
How was it when you first started?
It was meant to be. I already had clients from a couple of the spas I worked at when I initially moved here. I do three days a week here and one day at Baileys Chiropractic. I’m here Friday, Saturday and Monday. It’s getting busier and my clients are loving some of the packages I offer.
What are some of the packages you offer?
I developed a wellness plan for my clients that come once a month. My introductory plan is $49 for the hour, and if they decide to do monthly, that price will not change, it’ll always be $49.00 for 60 minutes $79 for 90 minutes. That plan is doing well, and about 90% of my clients take part in it. There is no contract; they just need to come once a month.
I also incorporate enhancements, so if a client wants a spa-like experience, they can add a hot stone, aromatherapy, a sugar foot scrub or a therapeutic scalp treatment for $10-12.
I also have a great referral plan; if you refer someone, you get an extra 15 minutes of massage or an enhancement treatment added.
What types of massages do you specialize in?
I do all the conventional modalities, including reflexology. I customize my massages to my clients need. One day they may come in for a relaxation massage, but the next month they may have something chronic going on and need me to do something deeper. I make a point of sitting with my clients for a few minutes before and after so we can discuss how they are feeling.
I specialize in Pre-natal massage and am certified through Carol Osbourne. I have a side lying system for women in their second and third trimester. Women don’t realize how beneficial Pre-natal massage can be. So much happens to a woman’s body when they are pregnant, especially in that pelvic floor. They usually experience sciatica, hip pain, cramping, and massage can help tremendously.
Going Forward I plan to do lymphatic drainage, cranial sacral, and cupping, which brings the oxygen-rich blood to that source of chronic pain. These therapies have incredible healing powers.
Do you feel monthly massage can benefit someone?
Absolutely, it is not only therapeutic but necessary. Massage can help the everyday person because everyone holds stress, especially being on computers and phones all day long.
When I work at Baileys Chiropractic, I meet so many people who have been in car accidents and see firsthand how massage is essential in their treatment plan. That soft tissue damage that people experience in an accident takes months to heal. You may walk away from it, but the healing will last for 8-9 months after.
What would your clients say they love most?
They would say they feel attended to and well cared for. I didn’t want my studio to feel like an assembly line. I want to take care of my clients and make sure they are leaving in a better place.
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