Fairmont Massage: Relax and feel better

Fairmont Massage is helping people relax and feel better.

Owner Shane Carpenter, licensed massage therapist, offers a range of massages at reasonable prices for people of all ages.

The different types of massages available are deep tissue, Swedish, hot stone, aromatherapy, reflexology (hand and foot), and neck, back and shoulder. Other services include ear candling and paraffin wax bath.

The business opened on Jan. 1 at 1010 Fairmont Ave., in the same building as Mandy’s Artworks. The space was formerly a salon, and it took Carpenter about a month to transform the room into a massage therapy shop. He redid a lot of the electrical work and plumbing, with the help of some friends, and often spent 12 to 16 hours each day on the project.

“It was quite a turnaround,” he said.

Carpenter graduated from the Art and Science Institute of Cosmetology and Massage Therapy, known as ASIC, in Fairmont. He’s originally from the Fairmont area, where he continues to reside today.

Carpenter said he “just wanted to take the chance” and open his own business.

“One day I decided, ‘I think I want to do it myself,’” he said of his reason for taking the plunge.

Starting the massage therapy business was nerve-wracking, but Carpenter is now sure that he made the right decision.

Fairmont Massage has been in operation for nearly a month, and business is “picking up slowly but surely,” he said.

“The thing that I like the most about it is when you’re done with the massage people feel so much better,” Carpenter said. “People are so relaxed. They’re healthier. You’re helping people.”

He said people can benefit from massage in so many ways. It can help with anxiety, pain, labor pain, infant growth, sports-related soreness, the immune system, self-esteem and more.

“The biggest thing is less stress,” Carpenter said. “Everybody has stress.”