Business Series: Take a Trip to Your Local Spa

A day at the spa is just a few minutes away if you live near Reflections on the Water. This is a business that is located in Black River Falls, and they offer just about everything spa related, from tanning to Ashiatsu — a deep tissue massage done by foot.

Ashiatsu dates back as far as the 12th century. It is associated with a Keralite foot massage called Chavutti Thirumal, which was developed by the Kalari Martial Artists of Kerala, India. During Chavutti Thirumal, the body is covered in medicinal oils, while the practitioner grabs a rope overhead for balance and performs the ritualistic massage done by bare feet.

“That kind of sets us a little apart from every other massage place,” said Laura Lindow, owner. Lindow said that Reflections on the Water is the only place in Black River Falls to do Ashiatsu massage.

Some other services that the business offers are Reiki–a healing technique done by touch– massages, waxing, detox foot soaks, whole body vibration (10 minutes on the machine equates to an hour of running) and BioMat–a therapeutic device that relieves pain. Paraffin dips, henna tattoo and custom t-shirts are also offered.

“We want to be considered health and wellness, so we keep adding stuff,” said Lindow. “There’s so much more we want to add, but it just takes time.”

Some new things that will be coming soon include sound therapy, Light Language–healing done by voice and body movements–new inventory and American Sign Language classes.

Lindow and two other women, Natalea Schaller and Hailey Przybylski, teach American Sign Language at Black River Falls High school every three weeks during the Lunch and Learn period in Mr. Anderson’s room.

“We’ve taught them the alphabet, colors, numbers and we’ve played Bingo and Uno,” said Lindow. “It’s been fun.”

“It (learning ASL) is beneficial for everybody, even for babies,” said Schaller.

Lindow says her business’s targeted age group ranges anywhere from teens to as old as 60.

“We’ve got retired couples in their late 60’s who tan,” said Lindow. “It’s awesome.”

When Lindow first opened Reflections on the Water, she didn’t do it alone. In February of 2017, the month that the business first opened, Heather Kitzman was along for the ride. Lindow said when they saw that the local tanning salon was for sale, they just couldn’t refuse the offer.

“Heather was going to school for massage, and I have taken Reiki classes for the last couple years, so we just went into business together,” said Lindow. “We went into business to be able to have somewhere to do our other things.”

Lindow said that as of November Kitzman no longer owns Reflections on the Water but that Kitzman rents out a space inside the building in order to continue to do her massages.

“When [Kitzman] wanted out in November, I was like, I don’t want out. This is exactly what I wanted this to be. I’m not giving up.”