January 12, 2006 Issue                                               

©2005 The Chestnut Hill Local

Aromatherapy spa sniffs out new Hill location
by PAT STOKES

Barry Eichner, who was general manager when the spa was at Willow Grove and Germantown Avenues, holds the same position at the new location.

Welcome to 3000 BC Aromatherapy Spa, newly reopened and relocated at 8439 Germantown Ave., former home of the Hahn Gallery. Well! Talk about a new look! How about gold and copper on the walls and on certain shelves, accents of gleaming glass in hues inspired by the major colors of Egyptian jewels such as cobalt, carnelian and onyx?

3000 plus the 2000 years since somebody started counting them adds up to 5000 years in my math. So in a bow to antiquity, here is a not-to-be-missed authentic note: the shelves displaying oils, lotions and such are not resting on supports in the usual way, but have actually been cut into the wall or a constructed area, repeating the design of the ancient tombs of Egypt.

This column described the spa two years ago in its previous surroundings at Willow Grove and Germantown Avenues. Barry Eichner, general manager then and now, says there have been several changes since then, i.e., new products and services and in the appearance of the space. The reconstruction took a total of 16 weeks.

Architect Joan Pierpaline, with a degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Architecture, loves the jewelry of Egypt; hence, the jewel colors in the shelving she designed. The founder of 3000 BC is Karin Korman, who in her MBA studies at Penn was required for her master’s thesis to invent and launch a small business. Aromatherapy research led her to the ancient beauty secrets of Egypt, which prompted the idea for the salon in Chestnut Hill.

Barry Eichner hails from the Poconos. He lived and worked for awhile in Washington, D.C., then moved on to New York for three years as district manager of a clothing manufacturer called Nine West. There he met Karin who hired him as a rep to sell the products of her new business, and when the opportunity came, to run the original 3000 BC, Barry was given the job.

He lives at the Dorchester on Rittenhouse Square, and takes the R7 or 8 every day to Chestnut Hill, enjoying the chance to read or meditate.

A few more notes on the look of the place. The whole design is pretty rectilinear: straight edges, right angles. So the hanging light fixtures in the window, curving, soft, wispy-looking, were chosen to offset the sharper character.

Time to talk about products. To quote Barry, “We looked to top of the line luxury retail products and put together a collection of similar ones, so Chestnut Hillers don’t have to go chasing to far-flung places such as Lord and Taylor, Nieman Marcus and others for beauty products.”

Here are some of them: Mailin & Goetz Diptique candles; Santa Maria Novella, fragrance and body care; Red Flower line of body care normally found only at Barney’s New York.

“The main focus in the spa,” says Barry, “is in the facials, the body treatments. People are taking care of themselves more.” Without describing at length the names, ingredients, etc., of the many massage options offered, here are some of the general categories: Tension Relief, Swedish, Sports and Deep Tissue, Therapeutic, Hot Stone Maternity and Couples. In the skin care group are microdermabrasion, resurfacing treatment, mini aromatherapy facial, anti-aging facial and several others. Then of course there are wraps with hot stones (I’ll pass on that one), body polish and various hand and foot therapies.

As Barry and I talked, we were seated in the rear of the salon, known as the SWI.N.KA Tea Lounge. Through a wall of glass one sees an enclosed garden kind of area, having in its center two oblong pool-like spaces. One of these will indeed contain water and the other an assortment of plants. The two areas together provide a setting where one can unwind and meditate before one’s appointment.

When you visit, you may pick up lists of all their treatment offerings and skin and hair products. Hours: Mon., Tues., Thurs., 10 – 6; Wed., 10 – 8; Fri., 8 – 6; Sat., 8 – 8; Sun. 8 – 4. 215-247-6020.

See you on the Avenue.