New massage parlor opens in Danville - Sunbury Daily Item

[massage]

DANVILLE — A new massage parlor opened last week on Mill Street in Danville with the owner committed to offering Valley residents a path to enhancing and improving overall well-being.

Kiera Woodruff, a 2008 Danville High School graduate said “massage can reduce stress and increase relaxation.”

Massage can also reduce pain and muscle soreness, Woodruff said.

In all these ways, as she sees it, she can serve and give back to the community where she grew up.

The business is named Merkaba Massage and Bodyworks, an Alternative and Holistic Health Service, at 546 Mill St.

“I think it’s good to take some time out for yourself,” she said. “Because if you take an hour, get a massage, not only are you taking care of your body’s physical needs but I also believe everybody needs some time of silence, where they can shut their brains off, forget about everything crazy going on in the world, and focus on themselves.”

Sessions vary in time, Woodruff said. “I do sessions anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour. But I have set appointments of 20, 30, 60 minutes and even an hour-and-a half.”

The age of her clients ranges from children under 10 to a recent client who had recently celebrated a 93rd birthday.

Starting her own businessThroughout most of her career as a masseuse, she worked for someone else, Woodruff said. “I guess I just decided that I was ready to take on my own venture and build something for myself.

“I felt like that was where my heart was,” she said. “Being my own boss. Being part of the community. and give back, in a way.”

She said she never worked for anyone who offered military discounts. “I want to be able to give discounts. Do what I can to serve the local community,” she said.

Right out of high school, Woodruff learned massage at Fortis Institute, where she took courses in anatomy and physiology. “They had us do pathology and even a little bit of pharmacology. We learned about certain diseases and conditions of the body, and from our perspective, we learned which muscles were involved.”

Woodruff’s brother, Evan, helped her renovate the space. “I worked about 30 hours total on constructing the massage room walls,” he said

Evan would go to work all day, then go to the shop and work on the project in the evenings, Kiera said. “My family was a huge help in getting the space ready, especially when it came to painting & decorating.”

Hours are Tues-Fri, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturdays, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information or to make an appointment, call 570-854-0206.