Best of the Best

NWA Democrat-Gazette Best of the Best 32 Friday, October 29, 2016 FINALIST Massage nwadg.com/best MASSAGE ENVY NORTHWEST ARKANSAS Special to NWA Democrat-Gazette M assage Envy became the fi rst clinic for the national franchise to open in Arkansas in October of 2007. The Rogers clinic, which has been in op- eration for almost nine years, was recognized as the National Franchise of the Year in 2010. Mike Harris, franchise owner, was recognized in 2012 with the Spirit Award, the highest award in the franchise system. Massage Envy currently has close to 1,200 clin- ics nationwide and is in every state except for Wyo- ming. Mike and Ana Thelma Harris opened their second clinic in Fayetteville in 2014. This new clinic not only performs massages but has a fast-grow- ing clientele for facials. The Rogers location plans on expanding to facials in the future as well. Arkan- sas now has fi ve clinics statewide, with two in Little Rock and one in Jonesboro. Northwest Arkansas Massage Envy has close to 50 quality, licensed therapists and estheticians to service the clinics, which are located at 2603 W. Pleasant Grove Road in Rogers and 3557 N. Shiloh Dr. in Fayetteville. The clinics have 26 session rooms to provide quality services for their clients. Another feature that makes Massage Envy a popular choice is the hours of operation. Both clinics are open sev- en days a week, Monday-Saturday from 8 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Massage Envy is a membership-based business but is available for members and non-members alike. Monthly members enjoy a one-hour massage or facial session each month for an attractive cost of only $60. Members are also eligible for additional sessions for only $40 each. Membership is the main driving force behind Massage Envy's success. For fi rst-time guests, an introductory offer of $50 for a massage or facial attracts many from Northwest Ar- kansas and is one of the reasons that the location has an extremely high membership base, even by Massage Envy standards. While membership has its advantages, both clinics service non-member clients for a regular price of $80 for an hour session. Northwest Arkansas Massage Envy has also be- come the employer of choice in the massage com- munity. More than 17 employees have called Mas- sage Envy home for at least fi ve years, and several have been there for close to the nine years, when they fi rst opened. Mike Harris points out that Mas- sage Envy has a close-knit environment where ther- apists, estheticians, offi ce and management person- nel are treated like family. The compensation for the employees is also beyond the industry averages. Benefi ts for quali- fi ed employees include vacation, holiday pay, CEU reimbursements, and milestone bonuses. Another great benefi t is scheduling, and Northwest Arkan- sas Massage Envy rewards employees for the hard work that they put in. Weekends and evenings are the best times to work and provide the best compen- sation packages, although they are not required. Harris also encourages anyone considering a ca- reer in massages or facials to contact the clinic to learn more about getting started in a career that can be very rewarding fi nancially, with the fl exibility of being able to work when you want to work. Massage Envy also looks for those with bilingual skills, a very strong need in Northwest Arkansas. "This is one career where a person can simply dial up the income they wish to earn based on their ability, and I highly recommend contacting a mem- ber of management to see how you can become part of this incredible industry," he said. Massage Envy premier spot for relaxation, more in Northwest Arkansas SPECIAL TO NWA DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE Massage Envy is located at 2603 W. Pleasant Grove Road in Rogers and 3557 N. Shiloh Dr. in Fay- etteville. For more information, contact by phone at (479) 571-3689 for the Fayetteville location and (479) 633-8340 for the Rogers location.

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