Coming to Jefferson Square at 4700 42nd s.w. in October is La Vida Massage and the franchise location brings a new business model with it, offering lower cost massage services through a membership plan.

Being built by Paul Silver and designed by Bo Miller the facility will offer 8 massage rooms (including couples massage), in a space designed to be, "A little flashier and a little more Seattle and a little less Minnesota," Miller said. It will feature stone and tile decor, with very darkly tinted windows on the west side, to provide privacy. The north windows will be covered by walls inside and outside will feature super graphics -- photos of people and the services the company provides.

The facility will feature a "quiet room", a waiting area where clients can wait for their appointment.

The pricing model will start at $59.95 for a one hour massage but will be sold on a membership basis, month to month. The price is good for the whole household and is transferrable. If you don't use it, the massage credit rolls over into the next month. Additional massages during the month will cost $49.95 but for the first 60 days Silver said he plans to offer the second massage for $39.95 and will lock that price in for those who become members during that introductory period.

Walk ins are welcome but the prices are slightly higher. Silver said the membership model means the cost of a one hour massage can be offered at a much lower cost. "The cost for a one hour massage can range from $79.95 to $129," he said.

If the company is as successful as he hopes Silver is looking at taking more space in the office tower above his ground floor location. Existing tenants will also be able to book "chair massages", a 15 minute upper body massage right in their office through La Vida.

In addition to massage La Vida (which by the way means The Life in italian), will offer facials, waxes and other aesthetic services.

In order to gauge the potential for success Silver and his daughter Raeann, who will be the on site manager, did what you might consider a happy style of research. They literally went to massage facilities all around the Seattle area and had massages. Then took notes on quality of service, cleanliness, decor, and how they were treated. After completing the research, Silver went on line and found La Vida Massage a chain based in Detroit with approximately 40 locations across the nation. After evaluating them he went ahead.

This is not the first business for Silver who previously owned Speakerlab, Seattle Cellular, did some business brokering, ran a company that did compact disc manufacturing, and had an aerial photography company. He has also run an indoor tanning business.

La Vida Massage will employ approximately ten people and Silver is currently interviewing licensed massage therapists. He and his daughter are again doing their evaluations personally by literally auditioning therapists through an actual massage. "It's tough work," said Silver laughing.

The company will offer "six to eight different modalities" including deep tissue massage, Swedish massage (the two most popular) couples, trigger point and pre-natal and will even offer Rolfing, an advanced form of deep tissue massage.
"More than 70% of massage is called for, for medical reasons. The other 30% are because they love it," said Silver.

La Vida Massage will most likely open the second week of October. They will be open 12 hours a day, seven days a week 9am to 9 pm except Sunday which will be 10 am to 6 pm

You can contact Silver via email at psilver@lavidamassage.com or via phone 937-VIDA.