Local Stories - Unwind Massage & Stretch Opens Downtown
Unwind Massage & Stretch celebrated its official ribbon cutting in downtown Kalamazoo on Thursday, February 20, 2026, welcoming community members to explore a new space dedicated to healing, mobility and overall wellness.
Unwind Massage & Stretch specializes in assisted stretch and therapeutic massage, offering hands-on services designed to improve flexibility and ease tension. “I specialize in assisted stretch and therapeutic massage. So with assisted stretch I take you through a series of movements, a series of stretches that helps you become more flexible, more mobile, have more agility, and then the therapeutic massage helps to relieve muscle tension…anxiety.”
The studio features a dedicated assisted stretch area as well as a private massage room. In addition to traditional therapeutic massage, services include cupping and manual lymphatic facilitation. The owner also recently expanded her credentials. “I also just got licensed to work with Alzheimer’s, dementia and cognitive decline,” she shared, noting her desire to support clients and families navigating cognitive challenges.
Her journey into massage therapy began with personal pain and unexpected relief. “I got inspired originally a few years ago. I had back issues and I went to a massage therapist and I was blown away. I said, oh my gosh, I had so much relief. When I got off the table, I said, I have to do this. I have to be able to help people.”
That experience shaped her mission to help others improve their quality of life. “We want to have a good quality of life. So when you do massage, when you do it’s just a stretch. It’s going to help you to feel more agile.”
Kalamazoo Mayor David Anderson also spoke during the event, highlighting the importance of small businesses to the city’s character. “It is human beings in our community that care enough about what they do, that they’re willing to put themselves out there in a public way and build more community by doing that. And that, to me, is really what makes a place special.”
Originally from California, she now proudly calls Kalamazoo home. “I love Kalamazoo. It’s like home now. I’m originally from California. It just it fell into my hands here and I’m so grateful to have a location downtown.”
Encouraging aspiring entrepreneurs, she added, “If you just have it on your heart to go out and and open your own space, just walk in faith. You know, you only have to have a mustard seed of faith. So walk in faith.”
