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No kinks to work out here, Align Spa’s new owners maintain a local institution

PARK CITY, Utah — Known for its massages, body treatments, and facials, Align Spa cemented itself as a consistently loved destination for locals and visitors for over two decades. A recent change in ownership, with Calli Sorensen and Amy Asherman taking the reins, marks a new phase for the spa.

Co-owner Asherman is a Park City local. She attended Park City High School and the University of Utah. After college she found she wasn’t using her degree and decided to give massage therapy school a try and has been enjoying it for almost 20 years now.

Asherman was one of Align Spa’s first employees, filling in various roles, from massage therapist to management. “It’s fun to be able to work with people for so long,” she said. “I’ve also started working on their kids, who are now married, and they’re sending their kids. So many of our therapists and physicians have those relationships with their clients.”

Sorensen, a California native, moved to St. George while she was in high school and went to Utah State University on a Sports Medicine scholarship.

“My sophomore year, I was assigned to the women’s soccer team to do sports massage, and I just fell in love with it,” said Sorensen. “I was like, ‘This is what I’m really meant to do.’ I ended up giving up my scholarship to pursue massage and paid my way through school. That was definitely an interesting conversation that I had with my parents, but I knew that’s what I wanted to do.”

She joined Align Spa in 2006 as a massage therapist after working for the Ritz Carlton and Deer Valley Resort and has had a similar path, working her way up to management.

Asherman and Sorensen unknowingly began prepping for this transition to ownership back in 2012, when original owner and founder Harriet McEntire-Lanka decided to take a break and explore the world. Meeting her future husband in Costa Rica, she handed over the bulk of the business’s management needs in 2012 and, in 2023, approached them with the decision to sell, propelling the duo into the role of proud owners.

Although they have been in management roles for a long time, the change of ownership brings other changes. Asherman is pursuing nursing school to become a registered nurse so the spa can introduce medical services such as Botox, fillers, IV treatment, hormone therapies, and other services. Currently, Align offers CoolSculpting services but is looking forward to adding more to its med spa repertoire.

They also plan to launch the Align Massage Academy, offering classes and seminars for massage therapists and other interested individuals.

“We’re starting our own school for massage therapists,” said Sorensen. “We’ll be able to host specialized classes, so massage therapists can come and learn advanced pregnancy massage, cupping, lymphatic drainage and the list goes on and on. They can attend those classes and get the credits they need to keep their certifications current.”

When asked what the secret to Align’s success has been since 2003, they said it’s the employees and the family-like environment at Align Spa.

“We want you to be yourself. Because if you’re the best version of yourself, then you’re going to give the best massage,” Sorensen said. “Another thing that has kept us in business so long is our reputation for the high quality of service that you get here. No matter who you see, you’re gonna get a great service. And that’s because we embrace people for who they are and they like working here which comes out in their work.”

The new owners wanted to highlight their new Spa Director as well, Erin McCormick. “Erin has been our front desk manager for the past several years and she has done a fantastic job. We promoted her as our spa director which is a well deserved position and the spa would not be what it is today without her,” said Sorensen.

Align Spa’s commitment to excellence, under the ownership of Calli Sorensen and Amy Asherman, promises an exciting future. As they celebrate their 20th anniversary, the spa continues to evolve, offering a blend of traditional and modern services, and as always a welcoming environment.

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