Massage Elements Moves Into Mendota Plaza

Mendota Heights citizens and visitors will soon have a way to ease away tension, address sports injuries and boost overall wellness, thanks to a massage business that's due to open soon in the Mendota Plaza shopping center.

Massage Elements will feature 1,310 square-feet of health and wellness services, with nine therapists on staff. According to manager Jenny Maudal, the business will specialize in orthopedic massage, also known as therapeutic massage.

This form of treatment is ideal for those with sports-related issues or recent or chronic injuries and pain, and differs from more relaxation-focused therapies like Swedish massage, said Maudal.

The wellness center's location is ideal for just such an enterprise.

"We're next to Anytime Fitness, with Curves within a close range, and there's New Heights Physical Therapy close by, too. We provide a great complement to those businesses."

Also, she said, the area's restaurants and shopping attract a good number of people who may want to consider massage when they're out running errands at places like the or the dentist, two businesses also in Mendota Plaza.

Founded by owner Ann Short, the enterprise hit some snags with its timing due to the. Inspections that should have taken a few days suddenly stalled, leaving Short and Maudal to take client information instead of booking appointments. Now that the shutdown is over, they hope to get up to speed quickly and open their doors before August.

After that, Maudal said that they'll be looking to forge more partnerships with neighboring businesses.

"We're looking to collaborate with other organizations, and we're excited to be in the Mendota Heights community," said Maudal. "We want to work with others; not just for referrals, but also to help people who want to be healthy and active."

Massage Elements fits in with other tenants, adds Mark Robinson, a leasing representative for Paster Enterprises, the shopping center's owner.

"We really feel strongly that there's been a health and wellness market in that area that's been underserved until now, and we're happy to see Massage Elements help to fill that need," he said.

Robinson cited a recent study that estimated massage services would increase nationally about 19 percent over the next five years, as more and more people recognize the benefit of massage therapy.

"They are very service oriented at Massage Elements," he said. "It's going to be great to see them in the community."