Bringing float tanks to Somerville

[zmook.livejournal.com]

My wife somerville_lmt and I are working on a plan to open a float center in Somerville, or close by -- that is, a place where you can spend time floating in warm, quiet, dark epsom salt baths for relaxation, meditation, pain relief, and many interesting psychological effects.

This sort of facility is becoming more common on the west coast (e.g. floathq.com), but doesn't exist currently in New England, and we think it should.

We haven't chosen a location yet, but think there would be a good audience for flotation (sensory deprivation) in the Davis area. On the other hand, Davis is quite busy, and if we open in an area with loud trucks and rumbling trains, we'll have to spend quite a bit more on soundproofing. Our ideal location, in fact, is a bit of a paradox -- it's accessible to public transit and also to the highways, it has at least a few spots of reserved parking, it's not on a main road, but is easy to find, and ideally it's a one-story building with quiet neighbours. Good luck to us! But if anyone has suggestions, we'd love to hear them.

Meanwhile, we have a short survey: floatboston.com/survey
If you'd like to see us open in west Somerville, please fill it in! Also, if you sign up for our mailing list, you'll be in line for cool pre-opening discounts once we get everything organized.

Comments

[veek.livejournal.com]

Whoa!! I hope you succeed in setting this up somewhere nearby. I've always wanted to try this out.

[dphilli1.livejournal.com]

I'm interested! Will fill out your survey

[dphilli1.livejournal.com]

alewife/cambridge along the train tracks might have more space options. Also watertown (71 bus), while out of the way, might be significantly cheaper.

Also, Inman square -- inman oasis did a nice job of being accessible and isolated at the same time.

[zmook.livejournal.com]

We would *love* to find a location like Inman Oasis's.

[antimony.livejournal.com]

If public transit includes buses, there are a bunch of buildings in Medford Center that might fit the bill, although there might also be good reasons they've been empty for a while. Very convenient to I-93, though.

(Then again, I'm biased; I live in Medford. :) )

[mindstalk.livejournal.com]

I don't think any of those are frequent buses.

[antimony.livejournal.com]

No, not especially frequent, though quite a few different ones. I wasn't sure how much cheaper the real estate might be, though, and which was more important -- parking/freeway access or really good T service.

One thing I forgot to say on the survey: online scheduling would be a huge plus -- for massage, I end up always going somewhere I can book online, because the stress of dealing with people on the phone when I'm tense is just not going to happen.

[littlecitynames.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, definitely online scheduling! I don't mind using the phone, but I always forget to make phone calls during the day because I'm busy with other stuff, so I don't think of it until nighttime. Plus I really prefer being able to see the open times in front of me, rather than going back and forth with a person on the phone trying to come up with a date.

[beowabbit]

Told you this on Facebook, but I really hope you succeed! I would love to have flotation available in this area!

If I filled out the survey before (I don’t think there was mention of a mailing list then), am I already on the mailing list? (The "mailing list" link just leads to the survey, which I don’t seem to have the option of filling out again anyway.)

[zmook.livejournal.com]

If you've given us your email address already, it's cool. We're not going to send out much mail, pretty much major announcements only.

[prospecthillsom.livejournal.com]

There used to be one of these places on Market Street in Brighton. You might want to get in touch with them about what worked and didn't and why they closed. I went there twice. It was pretty cool. Would definitely try it again.

What about that area where Taza Chocolate / Green Cab / Gentle Giant are located (Boynton Yards)? There might be space in that general area.

[zmook.livejournal.com]

We have not heard of one in Brighton before. Do you recall what it was called, or what years it was open? We do know about Driftaway in Burlington in 2007-8.

I don't know the area you're talking about very well, but it might be worth looking in to. The thing we'd be concerned about is if any of the neighbours were loud (machine shop==bad).

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

There's this place on Market St in Brighton: http://www.marketstreethealth.com/

As far as water goes, I see colon hydrotherapy on their list, but not flotation.

[prospecthillsom.livejournal.com]

That was it - Market Street Health. It's in the block of Market Street opposite from the intersection with Faneuil Street (just south of the Dunkin' Donuts), so if you were sitting at the light on Market Street at Faneuil Street facing Cambridge, it's on your right.

They definitely had floating tanks in the late '80s. I bet someone there knows more!

Best wishes!

[somerfriend.livejournal.com]

Yes it is called Boyton Yards. Some of the gentle giant moving trucks driving around are loud, otherwise I don't think the commercial space there is too loud.

[mzrowan.livejournal.com]

Maybe the old Eddie's Furniture (http://www.cityfeet.com/cont/ForLease/LN18339158/95-Elm-Street-Somerville-MA-02144) location? The back rooms might be quiet enough. Or there's a spot for lease at 363 Highland (http://www.exitrealty-ma.com/pages/161341/sys_189/id_71398303/MA/Somerville/363-Highland-Ave.aspx), which is set pretty far back from the road.

[mzrowan.livejournal.com]

Here's another link to info on 363 Highland (http://www.homefinder.com/MA/Somerville/363-Highland-Ave-87282343d) -- this one has a couple of interior shots. Looks like there are few to no windows in the walls, so that may also be a plus, sound-wise.

[aynatt.livejournal.com]

You might consider Union Square in Somerville. Perhaps less expensive, and within the next couple of years it is proposed that there will be a T-stop there.

http://www.wickedlocal.com/somerville/news/x1716633090/Somerville-board-acquires-land-for-Green-Line-Extension?rssfeed=true#axzz2Vm2sKm6i

[achinhibitor.livejournal.com]

I'd think the crucial question is what sort of rent the business can afford, and then ask what areas have rent that isn't higher than that.

[kelkyag]

There are single-story storefront spaces available on Broadway in East Somerville, some with parking, which gets you accessible to public transit (orange line & busses, including the 89 to Davis) and to highways, but it's on a main road and may take a fair bit of insulation from traffic noise.

[ron_newman]

That part of Broadway is being dug up for an extensive road reconstruction project, which may mean more noise and vibration than you want to deal with right now.

[kelkyag]

It is, but that will eventually be done, and the area should be nicer for walking. And presumably installing tanks and such will take time and remodeling, too, though probably less of it.