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REDWOOD CITY’S MONTHLY MAGAZINE
A TOUCH OF TRUST:
REDWOOD MASSAGE & SAUNA
Dale McKee
When I recently visited Redwood Massage
& Sauna, I wasn’t quite sure what to
expect. It has been voted the best massage
in Redwood City many years in a row, so I suppose I
expected a lot of marble, fountains, green growing
things, maybe the chirping of birds.
There was none of that, except for the chirping of
birds — a lovely back patio area was open, and outdoors
has a way of permeating. But none of the glistening
trappings of an elite “day spa” and no elves,
fauns or unicorns either. Instead, a cozy, homey
ambience evoked memories of a family doctor or a
friend’s apartment. It had a warm, welcoming feel to
it.
Equally warm and welcoming was owner and massage
therapist Beverly May. Originally hailing from
the East Coast, with a trace of it still in her voice,
May has over thirty years of experience in massage
therapy and spent 18 of those working in just that
capacity at Redwood City Athletic Club (now Gold’s
Gym). May has a warm smile and a genuine, disarming
personality that made striking up a conversation
pleasant and easy. She gave me a tour of the
facility, showing the several massage rooms and
saunas. I had to ask — being somewhat unfamiliar
with these things — the difference between a sauna
and a steam room. Sauna, it turns out, is dry heat —
hot rocks, with a touch of water or eucalyptus for
moisture — whereas a steam room is just that, 100
percent humidity. May said they don’t have a steam
room yet but are hoping to develop one in the near
future.
All of the rooms had a pleasant, comfortable feel to
them and were clean and welcoming; nothing made
me think I should have dressed up to come in. After
the tour, we settled in to talk, May perching comfortably
on a massage stool while I sank back on a
cozy couch.
Of the services offered, massage is more popular
than sauna, although many people come in for both,
May said. She has seven massage therapists working
for her at the present time. In the morning, she typically
has two people working, adding more as the
day goes on so that there are four by late afternoon
— typically the busiest time of day.
“I’ve been a massage therapist for 33 years,” May
said, “and I’ve always seen a certain pattern in busy
times — busy times of the day, busy times of the
year. Since I took over this place in 1999, there’s no
rhyme or reason.” On a really hot day, she explained,
you wouldn’t think someone would want to come in
to use the sauna, but they do. “Which makes marketing
really difficult,” she said, laughing.
“This is the kind of work where you have to really
like massage, like people, like touching … because
physically, it’s pretty challenging, pretty intimate. …
Not everybody’s going to lie on your table and think
you’re the best massage therapist in the world. Some
people are going to be physically difficult; some people
are going to be grouchy. They don’t always
express what they like.” Sometimes it takes a while
to learn how to meet their needs, she said. If you
don’t like your work, you’re not going to last, she
explained.
After working for 18 years in the women’s section at
Redwood City Athletic Club, May got an office in
San Carlos with two other massage therapists, where
she stayed for three years. But “I missed having the
showers and the saunas for the clients,” she said, “so
I kind of kept my eyes and ears open for someplace
that had showers and saunas. And then this place
came up.” Prior to that, May had worked out of her
home, putting herself through college doing massage.
“That was difficult,” she added, “because I had some
(continued on page 6)
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OWNER BEVERLY MAY, READY TO GO “HANDS ON”
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