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By Hannah Lee
Filling A Gap: Owning an event company that services the San Diego convention industry put Katherine Stuart in a prime position to realize what the convention area was missing- a large upscale spa to service the booming downtown area. “I really felt there was a hole in the marketplace,” says Stuart, who has owned her event company, Restaurant Events, for 8 years. “This is a very popular convention destination and the residential segment is booming right now as well. I realized there are only a few spas downtown and they are all very small.”
 Working with her
partner, financial and management consultant Jerry
Dressel, Stuart opened Spa Tiki last June on the
ground floor of a high-end condominium complex right
in the heart of downtown San Diego. “We are right across the street from the convention center and the two largest convention hotels,” says Stuart. “High end condos are shooting up all over the area and they are selling out before construction even begins.”
Spa Tiki is also located
adjacent to the Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego’s dining and entertainment district, putting them right in the action. And who is their neighbor? World famous Paul Mitchell platform artist Robert Cromeans has his salon right next door. “Ninety percent of Robert Cromeans’ business is hair, so we offer a nice compliment to services.”
So what’s the salon all about? “we want people to feel as if they are on vacation the moment they walkthrough the door,” says Stuart. “I love everything Polynesian. My house actually looks like this too! My favorite place in the world is Tahiti, so I wanted to recreate that island feeling. Everything we do has an Island flair, from our marketing to our dishware to our product lines.
“We don’t really follow trends. We have a very defined brand and are sticking with it,” she adds. And it seems this savvy salon owner doesn’t need to follow trends. Open for less than a year, Stuart notes she has seen significant increases each month. “Sales have been great so far. We have worked hard with an aggressive PR campaign and I’ve really worked the convention market. I think our success can be attributed to the fact that we went after what we wanted and didn’t wait for it to come to us.”
Island Destination:
Entering on the lower level, guests are Spa Tiki
are offered the salon’s special Tiki Punch upon checking in at the Palapa desk. The ocean inspired lower level is home to the spas “pedi-cabanas.” Pedicure clients enjoy private services in specially designed thrones surrounded by whispy, white draperies.
 Guests who want to
be more social can sit on our custom flower-print
nail couch,” adds Stuart, who says nail services account for about 20% of her business. The retail area resides here as well, offering a variety of unique items from body and skin care products to specialty candles and soaps.
“We have a Mai Tai and Manicures promotion every Thursday, which has become very popular,” says Stuart. In addition to this special promotion, Spa Tiki has themed packages from the Hula Girl Holiday to the Big Kahuna. “Our ritual packages are unique,” she adds, concerning the Getaway treatments that are focused on Hawaii, Bali, Fiji, or Thailand. “And our Royal Island Pedicure is probably one of our most popular treatments.”
Manicures
at Spa Tiki run from $30 for an Aloha Manicure to $45 for a Royal Island
Manicure. And pedicures run from $50 for a Hang Ten
Pedicure $65 for the Royal Island Pedicure. In addition
to nail services, the downtown salon also offers
hair and makeup services.
The upstairs spa consists
of the Lanai (the lounge), six bungalows (for facials,
massages, and body treatments), two Villas (reserved
specifically for Spa Tiki Rituals, each with its
own waterfall shower and soaking tub), a Steam Room,
and the Hula Hut (a private 378 sq-ft lounge for
groups of 20-25).
 The entire spa is
decorated in teak and bamboo with fresh tropical
floral accents, all combined with the Spa Tiki scent
(a delicious blend of fresh coconut, pineapple,
and citrus) to create a relaxed environment for employees
and guests alike.
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