Health & Fitness
Merchant Spotlight: The C.A.L.M. Approach
This February The C.A.L.M. Approach will celebrate 15 years in Cranford. Owner Cheryl Mulligan first opened her doors in February 1997 on Walnut Avenue, though the business has since moved to South Ave. It has the distinction of being Cranford’s first massage therapy center and Cheryl says simply of Cranford “This is our home.”
Cheryl was originally in the corporate world but after having a child decided she needed a career that was more conducive to caring for her daughter. She enrolled in massage school and graduated 6 months later. For the first two years Cheryl worked out of a chiropractor’s office in Westfield, before the space in downtown Cranford opened up. In addition to Cheryl,The C.A.L.M. Approach also employs three massage therapists, two of whom have been with Cheryl for 9 years. That’s just one of the many reasons that customers keep coming back – some have been clients since it was located in Westfield.
The C.A.L.M. Approach usually sees a surge in client visits in January as people look to redeem their holiday gift certificates. Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day are also popular times of the year. When Cheryl first started, women made up the majority of her clients. Now that massage therapy has become mainstream her clientele is more mixed, with both men and women taking advantage of the services she offers. She treats a range of clients, everyone from kids to seniors, athletes to pregnant women.
Cheryl stresses that she doesn’t require a contract or membership and wants to insure that her customers receive their money’s worth. The massage therapists will take time to talk to each customer before their massage, while still giving them the full 60 minutes on the table. Cheryl is extremely involved in the downtown Cranford community. She worked with Dinner in a Pinch on their menu event this year, and partnered with Alleum Yoga for Yoga in the Streets this summer. She’s also planning to sell products from Atlantic Beach Soap Co. at her store in the near future. It would be hard to find a place that leaves you feeling as relaxed and inspired as The C.A.L.M. Approach in downtown Cranford.
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The C.A.L.M. Approach
126 South Ave East
(908) 709-1903
www.facebook.com/thecalmapproach