DESUAR Spa Owner Deisy Suarez-Giles Expands Her Business During the Pandemic
DESUAR Spa’s newest location opened on November 10 in Los Feliz, California.
COVID-19 has affected the entire spa industry, forcing many businesses to close temporarily and in some cases, permanently. Spa owner and entrepreneur Deisy Suarez-Giles, however, has used these challenging times as an opportunity for growth and to pivot her business model. She started out by offering outdoor treatments on a rooftop in downtown Los Angeles, where her flagship spa, DESUAR Spa, is located. Read more about it here.
On November 10, Suarez-Giles opened her second spa location in the trendy Los Feliz neighborhood in Los Angeles. The day spa includes a relaxing outdoor treatment area that offers stunning views of the surrounding scenery so guests can enjoy some much-needed self-care and relaxation time. Limited indoor visits are also available and DESUAR Spa is following all of the state mandates and CDC guidelines in order to offer a safe place for guests and employees.
“What I am looking forward to the most is to be able to safely continue to serve our discerning clients and provide a safe and comfortable environment for those customers that are still not ready to receive service indoors or those that simply love the idea of getting an outdoor massage with fabulous views,” says Suarez-Giles.
We interviewed Suarez-Giles to learn more about what inspired her to expand her spa business during the pandemic, what her new location is like, COVID protocols that are in place, and more.
The spa has pivoted its business model to accommodate an increasing number of relaxing scenic outdoor visits along with limited indoor visits in accordance to state mandates.
What made you decide to expand and open another location during the pandemic?
COVID-19 made me expand. Not being able to operate at full capacity due to fear and restrictions, I felt I had to take a risk and pivot my business, venturing into a new concept and adapting to the new norm. Many people have been feeling down and suffering from high levels of stress due to mandatory lockdowns and the political climate. This current time demands that people need more wellness services as a result of many people's fear and anxiety. I wanted to be able to provide something unique and relaxing, while still in compliance with the new government guidelines so that people could feel safe and at the same time offer them a getaway to forget about all their stress and worries.
How did you choose Los Feliz and what will clients love about the new location?
I was focused on finding a location that would provide easy parking and gorgeous views in a quiet residential area. The Silverlake/Los Feliz neighborhood is a neighborhood where you can still get a decent price per square foot, which will allow me to price my services at a reasonable level that would be easy for everyone to afford. I think clients will love and enjoy the view and be able to receive an outdoor massage, while at the same time have privacy and feel safe.
Is your new location similar to the DTLA spa? Anything unique to the Los Feliz spa?
It will be a totally new concept. This new location will be an outdoor oasis. However, because it's located inside a mixed-use house, we still have the ability to host some services indoors for those shy clients that prefer more privacy and want to be away from the sun. This location will feature two high-end gazebos that can host one or two guests at a time. It will feature an outdoor waiting area with a big umbrella to keep clients under the shade and protected against harmful UVA/UVB rays. The new spa has one shower that can be booked in advance for those clients that would like to shower.
Will both locations offer the same treatment menu?
For now, we will only be offering only a portion of the services being offered in the DTLA location. No waxing services, salt bed or soaks will be offered since we don't have a tub.
The stunning outdoor treatment area offers beautiful views of the surrounding neighborhood in Los Angeles.
What COVID-19 protocols will be in place?
We will be conducting a temperature check for every client along with a COVID-19 intake form. Additionally, hand sanitizer will be provided upon arrival. Any client coming inside the house will need to wear shoe covers to keep the space and surfaces protected from anything that is carried on the soles of our shoes.
But most importantly, this location was specifically selected due to the amount of grass and plants that surround it. Upon researching things that we could do to help clean the air, I learned that many offices were implementing adding plants as another way to kill viruses, germs, and bacteria. So I figured what better way to have clean air than being surrounded by trees in an outdoor place with clean air circulating at all times?
What are the hours and days of operation in the new location?
We are open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and closed on Thursdays.
DESUAR Spa Los Feliz/Silver Lake is located at 2211 Hyperion Ave., Los Angeles. To make an appointment, call 323-371-4556 or visit the website.
Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk