BAY CITY, MI - A new business downtown has been working to create a peaceful place of rest for stress-weary customers.
The Ocean Jasper wellness spa at 806 Saginaw St. opened its doors on Jan. 14 to offer a relaxing and calming spa experience, with a bit of a twist. It focuses on inner and outer beauty.
“We have services that target pampering the mind, body, and soul," Ocean Jasper owner Kaitlyn MacGregor said.
Ocean Jasper spa gives an immediate feeling of peace when walking through the doors. Subtle, golden lighting is paired with nature-based pieces from local artists.
‘I believe we bring a place that people can come and just forget about the stress of society, we’re kind of like a little oasis here in Bay City," said MacGregor.
MacGregor came up with the idea when she was 18. She initially said that she had a grand idea to open up a wellness center that would offer therapy services such as art and music therapy alongside activities such as yoga and pilates. MacGregor also thought that she’d like to one day have a spa connected to such a center.
As time went on, MacGregor flipped her plan and started off creating a spa first, with the hope of expanding further into her dream.
“I started with the dream of doing the wellness spa first, and then eventually one day I would love to have the whole center and expand into that. So this is chapter one," she said.
Joining MacGregor at Ocean Jasper is esthetician Regan Greenia and massage therapist Senta Gonzalez.
Greenia and Gonzalez help to offer services at Ocean Jasper such as spa manicures and pedicures, therapeutic massage, airbrushed makeup, specialty facials, henna tattoos, eyelash extensions and lifts, and tints and eyebrow shaping and tinting.
Since the spa is on a mission to promote one’s inward beauty as well as outside beauty, Ocean Jasper also offers a variety of more spiritual-based services such as reiki, shamanic healing, and spiritually guided tarot card readings.
“We are the only wellness and beauty spa around that focuses on your inner beauty as well as your outer," said MacGregor.
She explained that reiki and shamanic healing focuses around promoting internal well-being by restoring one’s energy and by taking away energy that one is holding onto.
“We all have chakras throughout our body, energy sources, and a lot of times throughout our day without us knowing we transfer energy from people to people," she said.
MacGregor has worked at making Ocean Jasper a welcoming and relaxing space. Aside from booking appointments, she said that those who are stressed from daily life are welcome to just visit to relax.
“This is a space that’s welcome to everybody. I mean I want you to come in here and book appointments with us," said MacGregor. "But it’s also a space if you want to just pop in and hangout and just relax, you’re able to do so.”