Newsbits: GrandForksGuy's vacation, new downtown salon/spa
•On holiday....
Just a quick note to let everyone know that I will be on a short vacation for a couple of days. Don't expect to see me back around until this coming Wednesday.
•Another new business for downtown...
Looks like downtown Grand Forks is getting a new salon/spa. It will be located directly next to where the Red River Cafe/Deli used to be. I can't remember what the sign in the window said the place is going to be called. I think it's great to see more businesses set up shop downtown. We've gotten several new restaurants and bars recently. It's good to see service businesses coming to the area. Now I'm just waiting for some new retail down there.
Update - 7/14/2006
The new salon/spa is "Tranquil Escape Salon and Spa"...check out their website here.
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39 comments:
Interesting that you'd gladly welcome the arrival of more bars downtown, but then attack beer vendors at the Sertoma 4th of July "celebration."
Come on, GFG, get your story straight!
Interesting that you'd gladly welcome the arrival of more bars downtown, but then attack beer vendors at the Sertoma 4th of July "celebration."
Come on, GFG, get your story straight!your story straight!
ooo a spaaaa!
Hey, I welcome bars downtown too, but didn't love seeing beer vendors downtown. The difference is clear. A bar is highly controlled to only allow 21 +, while the celebration was geared towards families with kids...I wouldn't take my 3 year old to a bar. I would, however, frequent a nice pub downtown...
Ben, quite frankly that has to be the most ridiculous comment I've ever read. If you're 21+ you can't grab a beer at an event? What? Are you serious?
What happened to parenting? An adult can't exemplify responsibly having a beer ot two? A parent can't explain to their children that when an individual is abusing the privlege of accessing adult beverages, that's wrong?
To what extreme to you recommend taking this nannyism dream of yours?
Actually, I think his point was wanting to keep the drunken lunatics away from his three year old, and that if they're in a pub (the lunatics, not his kid,) there's reasonable separation. At some outdoor festival, there isn't.
I remember thinking how bizarre it was, watching chicks selling shooters at Pleasure Island in Disneyworld, and thinking that it was kind of inappropriate. Then I realized that I was the one who'd brought my seven year old there, so it was my mistake, not Disney's.
Parental guidance is great, but if something is promoted as a "family event," it's reasonable to assume that parents woud be put off by foul mouthed drunks all over the place. Kind hearted drunks, like Arthur, well, that would be another story.
This is now the fourth salon/spa within walking distance. I'm all for downtown business but do we really need another salon/spa? You can make the same arguement about bars. Aren't there other businesses that care to open a business downtown? From the look of the web site of the new salon, I'm not too sure I would go and have any service performed there. Can everybody say nail fungus????
www.tranquiltysalonspagf.com
http://www.tranquilitysalonandspagf.com/
Just checked out the spa web site. This place won't be around for long. From the hokey Romanesque columns to the veined mirror, it's Saturday Night Fever movie set meets bad 80s renovation.
I agree with the anonymous who says this is not needed, and the place does look pretty cheesy.
What's up with this room? http://www.tranquilitysalonandspagf.com/picture232.jpg
I've never been to a brothel, but from the pressboard cabinet, plastic plant, sponged walls, candle holders, and bed, I imagine this is what one would look like. Did they order their decorations from the JC Penney catalog? And is that a lava lamp on the top of the cabinet? Classy!
You know you can't really judge a book by its cover. You have to open the pages to see what is inside. Otherwise, I would have the same opinion of you (coffee guy). I actually got a tour of the place one day, and it is actually going to be one of the nicer salons in town. From what I understand it is going through some final renovating for the inspectors so it can open. Besides what have all of you done to try and help the city to continue to grow. And as far as the nail fungus comment goes......your mouth would probably be the cause of it.
Well, actually we were "treated" to more than cover.
When you put up a web site, you hope people will visit it to get a sense of your business. If the owners are going to put up an ill-conceived web site, they should consider the ramifications.
"You know you can't really judge a book by its cover. You have to open the pages to see what is inside. Otherwise, I would have the same opinion of you (coffee guy)."
pssssst...I'm not trying to win your business.
Why not help us out and tell us if my description of the furnishing was accurate. Was that a lava lamp? C'mon, help us out a bit.
"Besides what have all of you done to try and help the city to continue to grow."
Let's see, I moved here, bought a house, and am pretty sure I pay more in taxes than the average Grand Forks resident. I don't think that's too bad for a short period of time.
What's with all the negative comments about this salon? Are they coming from other day spa's & salons? I am glad to see more businesses opening up in the GF area - competition is good. It looks like a very nice place to me and I wish them the best of luck!
Coffee guy, I would imagine a brothel might be your last resort to actually have a "girlfriend". Why don't you actually wait for the place to open before you share your narrow minded opinion about it.
I will withhold final judgement on this place until it opens but I agree with one of the anon's up there about an ill-conceived website. It's pretty bad...
With that as a first impression; I doubt I will ever go there.
You're right, I don't have a girlfriend. I'm pretty sure my wife wouldn't like that.
I don't have to wait until opens up. Did they not put their best foot forward with their website and salon design? If not, is this a wise decision, and the sort of decision-making I would want performed when there is a pair of scissors near my hair?
Faux marbleization? No thanks.
I'd just like to make a guick point here, I'm not trying to stir the pot.
Didn't Unique Impressions close? That's my understanding. The reason I ask is, if one spa closes and another opens, there's no real net gain here.
Just wondering.
"Why don't you actually wait for the place to open before you share your narrow minded opinion about it."
Again, you're spot on! In fact, just last night, while I was eating frog legs for dinner, I asked myself why I wasn't more open minded, and willing to branch out a bit.
Keep the jabs at me coming! THIS IS FUN!
As I understand it, Unique Impressions went bankrupt and was bought out (or whatever the proper term is) by the former owner's accountant. Tranquility is the accountant's new adventure, with much of the equipment and stuff from the old Unique Impressions location.
I'll definately check it out and see for myself. The building itself is cool (will somebody puh-leeeeeeeease open a coffeeshop/bagel place in the Red River Cafe location?!) and it's always nice to have more businesses in town, especially downtown.
Wow, Is it just me are there a bunch of 2 year olds on this blog site.
I got on to this site and can not believe the comments that I have been reading.
First off it is quite obvious that coffee guy and some others have a personal vendetta here. I do not know what it is but it seems pretty clear when you read this.
Second, this is exactly the attitude that keeps business out of GF and why other cities in the state have been growing at a much greater rate.
Finally I went to the site and have to admit I saw nothing wrong with it. It was a nice simple site that told the story of a new business and why it came to relocate.
So as far as I'm concerned the more negative comments on this blog about this business makes me want to give my business to it all the more.
Keep it up negative bloggers.
And to the owners of this new venture I wish you all the success on your new venture and hope this obvious smear tactic backfires miserably on the negative bloggers.
Oh and by the way I was sipping my glass of wine with my wife the other night while we were eating chicken and my wife commented that the chicken tastes just like frog legs. VBG
I have no interest in any salon, don't know any salon owners and am pretty sure Coffee Guy, like myself, just wants the best for downtown GF businesses. But that doesn't mean supporting everything they do uncritically.
I want sooo badly for things to be better and welcome, with open arms, people and places that make that happen. Take the new bakery, for example. Brilliant. You won't hear many negative comments about that.
I think it actually does a business a service to hear criticism prior to opening, or anytime for that matter, so he/she can adjust things before commiting more resources. I'd hope the owners, who no doubt have weighed in here, will keep an open mind.
Agreed. *shakes hands*
Unique Impressions closed in name only. There's still a salon/spa in the same location.
Wrong subject, but it is my understanding that the tennant for the civic auditorium is going to be Amazon.com. I know L&L Fiberglass is already using their warehouse space.
That would be great news if true. It may be the catalyst theat Downtown needs to take off. I know, I know, if only.
How would Amazon moving downtown help the local economy? The reality is, aren't we talking a service center filled with customer service Reps? I mean, they go to work, have lunch, work some more, and go home. Some bring their lunch, some may go out. So, they drop the same amount of money in a different location. I support downtown 100%. I would love to see the downtown businesses realize those revenues rather than a chain restaurant sitting on an interstate highway corridor.
Also, to oversimplify, what's the big deal about Amazon? Promark, a telemarketing joint closes and walks on buku bucks worth of loans to the city. Right about the time the sun sets on the telemarketing industry, Amazon opens and those 300, or so, displaced employees march on down the street and go to work for Amazon.
Like I said, oversimplified, but again, no real net effect for the local job market.
hhmmm, Mr. Coffee Guy has a bit the Flamey McFlamington thing goin' on. Hasn't the scandia welcome wagon properly welcomed him into the community? Doesn't he know that's not how we roll here in the upper Red River Valley? Can someone please give him a proper welcome and initiate him to the standards of the community? A Lutheran pot luck, some hotdish, jello salad, kool-aid, and he should be good to go.
Anyone?
(Perhaps it's simple as some decaf beans)
Why criticize someone else's blogging style. I'm sure not everyone approves of yours. At least Mr. Coffee Guy (unlike previous anonymous and me) has the guts to identify himself.
How would Amazon moving downtown help the local economy?
Moving downtown? Not a lot (aside from making it tougher for some to run home for lunch over the noon break,) but if they open a second location, that would certainly make a difference. And I'm sure that more people working downtown makes it more vibrant regardless. Assuming that they can find somewhere to park, of course :-)
I'm not sure if this talk about Amazon moving downtown is true or not, but I would be happy to see it happen. I doubt that a location down there would be in addition to the Industrial Park facility...more than likely we would be looking at a move of all operations to the Civic Auditorium.
Having these people working downtown would certainly be a good thing for the downtown area. At least some of those employees would more than likely shop and eat in the neighborhood and some may want to live downtown.
I think it would be very good to see more people working in the downtown area. A downtown needs more than just shoppers and diners to be vital. As we have seen recently, it also needs plenty of people living in the neighborhood. Workers are also a vital part of downtown.
We need people shopping, dining, living, and working downtown.
It came to me that blogs remind me of all the BBS's that used to be in town...great times!
Coupla points: People who don't own/run businesses shouldn't be so quick to run off at the mouth about businesses, especially little ones trying to get off the ground. Just cuz the website gives you a sense it's schlocky doesn't mean much. 1st, they may not have the $ to spend (if ya can't do it fancy, do it funky), 2nd, just look at tv commercials aimed at baby boomers: use of cheesy old songs (which may be classics to some), cheesy old images, etc., just to get the attention ($) of the target audience. These days businesses seem to be kinda retro as are fashions and so on.
Another thing, I guess if I had my druthers, I'druther see a spa downtown than another bar. At least spa patrons aren't gonna exit the place and proceed to pee, poop, vomit, scatter bottles, glasses, (the last two often broken,) and sundry noxious
detritus in the vicinity of the establishment, and carry on whoopinandhollerin (after dark when they sillily believe no one can see or hear them). Give me a spa anyday, cheesy or not. Hey, give the little businesses a break, for cryin out loud!
Fancy vs. funky? Those are styles. Either one is welcome if done well. (HInt: Well done doesn't have to be expensive.) If this web site is the owner's idea of well done, he/she should get out more often. You can visit sites generated in other cities. Visit salons and spas in bigger markets. Get ideas from lifestyle magazines...just trying to be helpful.
This is that anonymous who posted above...in saying fancy vs. funky I was referring to the new spa decor, not the website. As re the city's new website, well, I'll hold my tongue...no I won't--it's not the best it could be.
Owners of this new place should be happy... they are getting free feedback from a fairly limited audience. Maybe the criticism is not as positive as it could be, but there is little down side here. Better to iron out the kinks before you open.
Website and decor are important to this kind of business because customers are partly paying for an aesthetic experience, and they are trusting their personal image to the business. Why would I trust my image to a company that can't even design a website? How are they going to design me?
If you are willing to spend the money to start the business and to refurbish a building, why go ultra cheap on your website and waste that initial investment? People notice. Consider the site a cost of doing business.
There isn't anything wrong with doing it yourself (even on the cheap), and it's ok to admit you are in over your head. If you are going to do it yourself, spend $50 on a and adapt it to your needs. Then pay someone like $150 to come over for a couple of hours and shoot a CD full of properly lit photos of your new place. Have him spend half his time shooting specific parts of the builing, and give him free reign for the other half.
Good looking photos (preferrably with subjects and principal owners) will make a world of difference. Spending a couple hundred bucks in the right places could go a long way, the personal time you save and goodwill you create is worth that much.
Not sure what happened with my tags there... the last part should read:
There isn't anything wrong with doing it yourself (even on the cheap), and it's ok to admit you are in over your head. If you are going to do it yourself, spend $50 on a predesigned template you like and adapt it to your needs. Then pay someone like Rick Abbot $150 to come over for a couple of hours and shoot a CD full of properly lit photos of your new place. Have him spend half his time shooting specific parts of the builing, and give him free reign for the other half.
If Tranquility owners happen to be blogging, here are a couple of sylish spa sites. If you have decent images and a simple, clean design you can do wonders with very little cash:
insideclay.com
skinhaven.com
To the last anonymous, thanks for doing that. I actually did something similar a couple of days ago in the hopes of pointing them toward nicer design, but I got sidetracked.
No problem, cg.
I'm all about being a good neighbor today ;)
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