The Spa at Kokomo Auto World finds unusual synergy in services

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When people take their vehicles into a dealership for service, they expect to wait awhile for the work to be done. They scroll through messages on their phones, read the odd newspaper or magazine in the lobby, and otherwise find ways to pass the idle time.

What if that time could be spent getting a facial or a little spa session?

At The Spa at Kokomo Auto World, this is now a reality. Jacqueline Scott and Stephanie Gingerich recently opened the business right next to the dealership in its former showroom, and there is a surprising synergy between the two.

“I hit my mid-40s, and I was trying to figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life,” said Scott of the origins of The Spa. “This has always been a dream to open my own place, and I just loved working with Stephanie. We were just kind of the perfect fit to rise together and promote each other.”

The pair had worked together as estheticians at Randall Dermatology before striking out on their own, and the car dealership connection came organically, as both of the women’s spouses work at Kokomo Auto World.

“When the owner got wind of us just thinking about starting our business, he presented the opportunity for this,” said Scott. “While you're booking a service or getting an oil change, why not come have a facial? We can kind of cross pollinate and promote one another.”

The pair opened to an enthusiastic crowd at the beginning of November, and business started strong. Even though Scott and Gingerich technically are operating their own businesses separately, The Spa feels like a singular experience. That’s because they are committed to building up together and offering many of the same services.

“And all of our decision making is together,” said Scott.

Gingerich explained that some of the experience clients will enjoy at The Spa is similar to what they might expect other places, but there will be much more offered through their business.

“Most people, when they hear esthetician, they think of a facial massage,” said Gingerich. “We have that. We have basic facials as well. You get relaxation. You get to lie down. We're going to clean your skin. We're going to push moisture into the skin with masks and massage. That's what people love.

“We also have the HydraFacial that's pretty unique. It is a way to infuse serums into the skin to get better hydration, but also correction. We have boosters that come with it to correct the skin as well as deeply clean the skin.”

Gingerich added that The Spa offers chemical peels and collagen induction therapy to help rejuvenate skin and reduce pigmentation. They also perform Dermaplaning and LED light therapy. And beyond that, the ladies are aiming to introduce Intense Pulse Light (IPL) therapy in the near future.

Another therapy offered at The Spa that is unique is NanoNeedling. Scott explained that the treatment deeply penetrates the skin without puncturing, injecting therapies to renew collagen.

“A lot of women or and men are looking for regeneration,” said Scott. “They come in with blotchy skin and ask, ‘How can we fix this?’ We offer a variety of different services that make us uniquely separate from other places.

“We're going to evaluate your skin. We ask what you would like to improve or change, and we help guide you along that way. We give you several roads to reach your goals and walk along with you. We're not pushy, and we are very honest and upfront. We want to actually help you.”

The Spa also offers waxing to remove unwanted hair as well as “permanent make-up” to add the appearance of fuller eyebrows and striking eyeliner.

Though The Spa at Kokomo Auto World hasn’t been open long, the estheticians are already exploring growth opportunities. They want to add manicures and pedicures at some point. Having a full-time masseuse on staff is another short-term goal, though massage is currently offered.

And they hope to hire a medical director, which will allow them to expand their services into fields like laser therapy.

“We just don't have a great spot here in town for laser hair removal,” said Scott. “So, we're going to be the next spot for it. That's a very high-demand service that a lot of our clients just really love.”

The Spa at Kokomo Auto World is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., with extended hours until 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and 6 p.m. on Fridays. They are open by appointment only on Saturdays and are closed on Sundays.

For additional information, visit www.thespakokomo.com