You won't find whale music and incense at this spa (5 photos)

After living in Ottawa and starting a family, the timing was right for April Simard and husband Brad to return home to the Sault and open a Ten Spot beauty bar location on Second Line East in July 2017.

The Ten Spot is a franchise, first launched in Toronto in 2006, April’s Sault location the 23rd of July.

“It’s actually moving into the States now, it’s growing really well with a lot of awards for the franchise,” said April as we dropped by with a pair of complimentary SooToday coffee mugs.

“We wanted to open a business of our own, and we loved the aspect of the franchise because it comes with all the support and the marketing and all the research and development.”

“The Ten Spot’s mission is to make everyone feel like a ten, and I loved that. That resonated with me. Obviously, as someone with daughters who want to do their hair and play with makeup, I want to make people feel good, so all of The Ten Spot’s core values fall in line with that.”

While there are a lot of great spas out there, The Ten Spot isn’t your usual spa.

“It’s not a spa with whale music and incense,” April quipped.

“It’s more of an open concept atmosphere, which I really like, with a TV on and music playing.”

Customers can view their favourite show or sports event on a large TV screen in the spa while enjoying a manicure, pedicure and other forms of pampering, and, because The Ten Spot has a liquor license, customers may also purchase a beer, glass of wine, champagne or a cooler (as well as enjoy complimentary tea, coffee and water).

“We do a lot of bridal parties. It’s a fun atmosphere,” April said.

“It’s super clinically clean,” she added.

“The standards for spas that are set by the government, we do above and beyond that. We don’t cut corners on that. Everything’s high end, really well kept.”

“We lucked out getting this corner lot (the spa having a spacious, bright, mood-lifting interior, with customers able to look out of wall-to-wall large windows on to an active Second Line roadway)... we have one of the better Ten Spot spaces,” April said.

The Ten Spot offers manicures and pedicures, waxing, laser hair removal, facials, eyebrow tinting and threading  (a full list of services is available on The Ten Spot website).

“Business has been great. The first year has been amazing. You don’t know what you’re getting into sometimes,” April smiled.

“But, the support in our city has been really amazing, from other local businesses and local women in business. It’s been really great.”

“We have a lot of regular customers. There are a lot of high request rates, customers coming back and asking for their favourite esthetician. That’s part of what I was looking for, building relationships, having nice conversations, people enjoying themselves and coming back again.”

Gentlemen are also welcome for manicures, pedicures, facials and other esthetic services, April said.

“It’s absolutely okay. The whole premise is to be all inclusive. Everything is gender neutral and open to anyone.”

The local Ten Spot also gives back, raising funds for  various groups and causes.

“A lot of people have pets, so it was really easy for us to help the Humane Society (taking part in the organization’s 22nd annual Cause for Paws dog walk at the Roberta Bondar Pavilion in September 2018), but we’ve also done fundraisers for cancer awareness, we’ve done Festival of Trees... this month, we’ll sit down and plan out what else we want to get involved in. Whatever we can get our hands into,” April chuckled.