Our path to reopening

StickyTanks and Equipment, The Business of Floating

We are excited to start floating again (we need it at least as much as you do), and we want to make sure we are doing everything we possibly can to keep you and our staff safe. We still believe that floating is on the lesser end of the risk spectrum, but we’re taking all available improvement advice from experts and our professional association, the Floatation Tank Association.

Sanitation has always been vitally important to us, but in this pandemic we are going to enhance our normal procedures. Part of that enhancement is the addition of UV-C sanitation lights to the rooms, and portable UV-C sanitation for the insides of the tanks. UV-C has been a standard of clean room technology for years, and I hope this addition will increase your peace of mind. Shipping is still kind of dicey these days, so I don’t have a firm date on their arrival. We’ll also have some changes to the way we do things, but I’ll go into that in a future post.

We will open when we have everything in place to assure maximum safety for you and our staff. Here’s the general checklist we’re using:

  1. Sanitation supplies (toilet paper, disinfectant, gloves, etc) are easy to source.
  2. New equipment has arrived, including safety equipment for staff.
  3. UV sanitation lights have arrived and are in working order.
  4. Repairs are finished.
  5. Staff-only soft opening to practice new procedures.
  6. Soft opening for members.
  7. Opening to the general public.

We’re looking pretty good on #1. Toilet paper and gloves can still be elusive, but disinfectant, hand sanitizer, and disposable masks are generally available again. I’m confident we have adequate supply on hand. We’re also in good shape on #2: I have a big pile of new Stuff, with more on the way. The rest are in progress, and I’ll keep you posted.

Thank you for your patience as we adapt to this new normal!

Stay salty,

Sara

We’ll update this as we go.

Floating and Autism

About Floating, Float Experiences, ,

For this discussion of introducing floating successfully to a person with autism, we’re welcoming guest blogger Amanda Maginley, owner of Nepsis Floatation in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Hi there. I’m a mom of two autistic teenagers and started floating them about 5 years ago. I opened my own float Center this year. I’m also trained in behaviour and have worked in our school system as a TA and observer of behaviour.

Floating has improved our lives significantly. It has helped me be a better parent, reducing my stress and helping me function better, and helped my kids with increasing awareness and emotional regulation.

Continue reading Floating and Autism →

“Are you open yet?”

Community

With Massachusetts announcing Phase Two reopening today (Monday, June 8th), we understandably have been fielding a lot of this question. The short answer is: no, not yet. Somerville is moving more cautiously than the rest of the state, which makes sense given we are one of the most densely populated areas in the country. But as a personal service, we belong in Phase Two (unless I learn otherwise), and Somerville doesn’t yet have a date set.

In the meantime, we’re working on getting ready for floating in the time of COVID-19. There are extensive checklists and “self-certifications” that must be met before we can open. Some items that we require in order to keep everything safe and sanitary are still hard to find, although it’s getting better (I found a great big bottle of hand sanitizer the other day!!). I’m also researching new equipment like UV sanitation lights. Keep in mind that while a particular business reopening may theoretically be possible, in reality it might be pretty hard.

If you’ve been with us a while, you may recall that we usually close for about a week in the summer to work on big noisy maintenance projects? We’ve moved up the timeline on those. We’re going to try to get them done now, before our eventual opening day arrives.

I’m really heartened by what people have been telling us. They say that they miss us (we miss you too). They say that floating has done more for their mental health than anything else they’ve tried. They’re wishing they could float to relieve that one sore spot in their back that nothing else touches. I’m glad to hear this – not that you’re suffering, of course, but that you love floating, love our space, and can’t wait to come back. We’ll be here.

Yours in theta waves,

Sara


This will be all of us again!

Update (still closed)

Community

Hello hydronauts,

We said before that we’d be closed through the end of March and then re-assess. It’s the end of March and the time has arrived! Surprising no-one (I hope), in the wake of this continuing pandemic, we’re going to remain closed for the foreseeable future. If you’d like to do something to help us, you can buy a gift card for later use. We’ve cut our gift card prices to absolutely bananas levels as a thank-you. (Of course you can use gift cards for yourself; I strongly approve of gifts for Future You.) Make sure you go to the gift card page linked above to get the special price, as our “Store” page has our usual prices.

Some of you have asked about our intentions in the wake of Inman Oasis announcing their (perhaps) more permanent closure. First of all, we are massive fans of Inman Oasis, Jo & Jenny, all the staff, and that beautiful wooden community tub, and we’re heartbroken to hear the news. For those who are worried that as sort-of similar businesses, we may be considering a similar move, I want to reassure you that we’re dug in for the long haul. I don’t pretend to know what the future will bring, but IO are dealing with two particular factors: 1) their lease was up (business leases are different from residential leases and often more contentious), and 2) a major aspect of their business does not play well with physical distancing: massage and the community tub. (source: the letter they sent to their clients, a group that includes me.) I very much hope that Inman Oasis is able to re-emerge like a phoenix after all this is over, stronger than ever.

Meanwhile, we are pursuing everything we can to freeze in place for as long as required. New unemployment insurance rules meant our staff didn’t have to be laid off, and we’re hoping to get some CARES Act relief. When we get to the other side of this, floating and the peace it brings will be needed more than ever.

So that’s where we stand. On a related topic, I have been absolutely floored by the outpouring of kindness toward us. Several insisted we continue their memberships *without* the special perks we offered; one bright soul read our last update and immediately bought a Make-A-Change package of nine floats. Dimitra at Daddy Jones has been a beacon of support. (Do you know someone who needs food? Let her know here at Restaurants Feed Somerville Families.) I had no expectation of any this, and I’m deeply affected. I barely have the words to express my gratitude. As Mr. Rogers famously said, “Look for the helpers,” and I’m seeing so many helpers in my community. You people are amazing.

Stay salty,

Sara

Dear Members…

Community

In case you missed it in your inbox, we sent this to all of you. If you have an active membership, you were on the list.

“By now you likely know that we’ve closed through the end of March, at least. You also know that we’re going to take a real hard hit from this as our cashflow stops. We know we aren’t alone, and that many of you must make hard practical choices right now as well.

“I know many of you aren’t in a position to “let it ride” with no end in sight. But some of you may be, and if you can, I have a proposal for you.”

Read more here.