Business Spotlight: Season Spa

Jennifer Wong, manager of Season Spa

Season Spa
165 Hester St.
(212) 966-7416
seasonspa-nyc.com

Welcome to Chinatown is excited to spotlight Longevity Fund recipient Season Spa. Whether you're looking for a facial, manicure, waxing, massage, or body treatments, their staff makes sure you leave feeling and looking your best. Born and raised in Chinatown, manager Jennifer Wong has worked at the spa for over 15 years. Featured in Time Out New York and the New York Post, customers love their clean, individual rooms and expert services.

Tell us about your business.

My mother loved facials and decided to open a spa in 2005 by partnering with her former esthetician. However, her partner quit 6 months into the business, leaving my mother with no one to help run the business so I had to learn everything from scratch. I was only 17 at the time and had to juggle between school and learning the skills of the trade. This ended up defining my life and my career.

What challenges did you face during the pandemic? Have you noticed an improvement in 2021?

Before lockdown, we noticed a deep decline because people seemed wary. When we reopened in July 2020, business was very slow because people couldn't take their masks off for facials, which is 60% of our business. We faced a steep decline in business, yet still had expenses to pay. I had to cut staff and closed more days.

In 2021, business got a bit better (mainly on weekends) to about 20% pre-pandemic. We've had to change our hours because business is still slow and also because of the violence that is occurring. Our staff lives far away and have to commute by train so it's better if they go home earlier. Some drive to work because they fear the MTA.

“People come to Chinatown for the culture so once things open up, more people will return.”

What do customers love most about your store?

Customers love the quality of our services, prices, and our clean, individual rooms. We know most of our customers — they feel at home when they come. Our most popular services are facials and massages.

How will Longevity Fund help your business?

The Longevity Fund will help with overhead expenses such as rent, utilities and insurance.

How has Welcome to Chinatown helped your business?

Welcome to Chinatown’s marketing exposure will help us reach broader clients. 

“When I was growing up, Chinatown had a lot of culture — the best Chinese food and niche Chinese goods…. I hope the original Chinatown will always remain.”

What do you love most about Chinatown?

I love that we are such a community. Most of us know each other and we've come together more than before to support each other (for example: neighbors making sure to spend their money at each other's businesses).

I’ve seen this neighborhood change before my eyes — many stores come and go, many neighborhood staples I grew up with are still around (fingers crossed) and parts of Chinatown are gentrifying. When I was growing up, Chinatown had a lot of culture — the best Chinese food and niche Chinese goods. Unfortunately, a lot has moved to other boroughs of NYC. I hope the original Chinatown will always remain.

 Is there a message of hope you would like to give?

Hopefully, when more people get vaccinated and things open up, NYC will have more tourists and residents returning to Chinatown. People come here for the culture, so more people will return once things open up.

How have you been involved in the community? 

I’ve been telling small businesses about available grants. Many customers ask us for niche Chinatown experiences so we refer them to nearby small businesses that we know are good (for example: Cutting Edge Z for haircuts, Teado for bubble tea, Jewelry Exchange for jewelry, and Royal Seafood for Chinese seafood.)

How can people support your store?

Referrals are excellent since people experienced the service first hand. We’re also on Instagram @seasonspa. 

Chinatown establishments like Season Spa are what make the spirit of our neighborhood. We need your support to keep that spirit alive. Please consider donating to The Longevity Fund, our small business relief fund, or help us spread the word of what’s at stake. Together, we can preserve Chinatown businesses and help keep Chinatown open for business.

Photo Credits: Fuxuan Xin