Bellevue's RECOOP Spa Adapts to a New Normal
May 3, 2022 - by Sandy Vo
Bellevue's RECOOP Spa Adapts to a New Normal
In 2014, Grace Hackerman opened RECOOP Spa for those with busy lives who needed a one-stop shop for regular self-care regimens. Today they offer a full range of natural and organic treatments including massages, facials, body treatments, waxing and nail care. In 2016, RECOOP Spa made it onto The Zoe Report’s list of “Best Spas Across Major U.S. Cities.” After years of success, the last thing spa manager Tracey Crotts expected was a pandemic. Like many businesses, the local spa shut down for months before returning to a whole new way of doing business.
"During a time like the pandemic, esthetic businesses seemed to suffer the most due to the nature of our work,” Crotts said. “You can’t get a massage over Zoom.”
To keep the business alive, Crotts had to think fast. After getting the okay to reopen, she applied for numerous loan relief options, deep cleaned the entire spa, set up plexiglass around the farmhouse-inspired space, and bought filters for every treatment room. Crotts’ most notable change was RECOOP Spa’s use of social media. She launched an online health campaign walking guests through the changes made.
“Safety was our priority during this time,” Crotts said. “While we didn’t see many new clients, our regulars came back after seeing how serious we were about sanitation. That saved us.”
Fast forward to today, RECOOP Spa is finally getting back to normal operations. Crotts said while masks are still enforced inside the building, she’s glad to see her appointment book finally fill up after two long years of uncertainty.
“It seems like people are really in the mood to celebrate their lives and get back to normal again,” she said. “While the pandemic caused tons of stress, it was a steep learning curve for all of us.”
As business slowly bounces back, Crotts said the spa can now focus on giving back to the community that stood by them during their most challenging times. They recently partnered with Overlake Medical Center & Clinics’ Charity Care, collecting donations for those struggling to cover medical costs during the holiday season.
Last month, RECOOP Spa also donated 20% of their revenue to the Come Back Alive Foundation, an organization dedicated to providing support to Ukrainians in need. Crotts said they plan to do more community work in the future.
With Mother's Day coming up, give the gift of relaxation with RECOOP's 2022 Mother's Day Special Package! Booking is available through May, make an appointment soon.
This blog is part of the Heart of Bellevue: our campaign to showcase local businesses while connecting you with stories of activity, creativity and recovery. Find out about our campaign and explore more of what’s happening around Downtown.
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Recoop Spa
925 Bellevue Way NE
Bellevue, WA 98004
