Donor Spotlight: Island Spa & Sauna
Island Spa & Sauna
1769 Lincoln Hwy
Edison, NJ 08817
Island Spa & Sauna is a 30,000 sq. ft. modernized Korean day spa with amenities ranging from saunas & hot baths, as well as services catered to fulfill all your self-care needs. The team at Island Spa & Sauna has generously donated to Welcome to Chinatown, helping support our programming for our beloved Chinatown businesses.
Give us a brief background of Island Spa and Sauna, and the team running the business!
Island Spa and Sauna is a 30,000 sq. ft. traditional Korean spa in Edison, NJ equipped with various dry saunas, gender-separated bathhouses, lounge area, restaurant, and juice bar. We also offer various services such as massages, body scrubs, facials, and yoni steams. The company is owned and operated by Jackie Lee!
Why did the team start Island Spa and Sauna? What inspired/inspires them?
Island Spa and Sauna was created to be a community and an escape for the people. This is a place where anyone can come in to focus on themselves and treat their bodies with wellness and relaxation. Building this community and safe space for all is what pushes the whole team to ensure Island Spa is constantly at its best and improving the stay of our guests.
How does your identity as an Asian American influence your work?
As an Asian American business, our goal has always been to bring Korean spa culture here in the US. We stick very closely with our roots especially with the bathhouse being fully nude just like the spas you will find in Korea. We want everything we do to reflect Korean culture and pay our due respect to it.
What advice would the team give to others in the AAPI community who are looking to start or grow their own business?
It is okay to give your culture a more western/modern twist rather than focusing solely on tradition. As a business, we are always looking to improve and modernize, but as always, never forget your roots and where you come from.
Why is it important for the team to give back to the AAPI community?
It is absolutely essential for us to give back to the AAPI community because it is the larger community that we are part of. We were definitely lucky to make it through the COVID-19 pandemic and want to help out our fellow AAPI businesses thrive after COVID.
What drew the team to Welcome to Chinatown? How do Island Spa and Sauna's work/values connect to Welcome to Chinatown?
We know how hard it is even now as we navigate the world post-pandemic, and want to lend a helping hand to other businesses. Our values connect to this organization with our Cultural Commitment, Family, and Mindfulness. Since we are committed to our culture, we want to help other AAPI businesses continue to spread their culture like they are our own family.
How does Manhattan Chinatown inspire the team?
Manhattan Chinatown inspires the Island Spa team because of how much cultural impact it has had on the surrounding communities and overall AAPI community. Many members of our team are regulars at many Manhattan Chinatown businesses and it is quite amazing to see that a bunch have stayed open for so years.
What are the team's go-to Chinatown spots? Must-buy items from those places?
Some go-to Chinatown spots we have here are of course the legendary Wah Fung No. 1, Mei Lai Wah, Wonton Noodle Garden, and Alimama. Our go to for Wah Fung No. 1 is the roast pork, Mei Lai Wah for their pork buns, Wonton Noodle Garden for the Wonton Noodle Soup with Fish Ball, and Alimama for a mochi donut and passion fruit green tea.
