Hand & Stone's Top Franchisee Signs 13-Unit Deal

Eric Danver, the largest franchisee in the Hand & Stone system, signed a new development agreement to open 13 more spas over the next five to six years. The deal builds on his current base of 63 locations across eight states and pushes his group past 75 units once construction wraps.

A Bet on an Established Operator

Hand & Stone chose to lean on its top performer rather than recruit a new operator for the expansion. Danver's FGG Spa already generates more than $95 million in annual sales and employs over 1,800 people, giving the franchisor a partner with the capital, staffing bench and construction experience to execute new locations without the ramp-up delays a first-time buyer would face. Chief Operating Officer Kris Smith, who spent 13 years running real estate development for Hand & Stone corporate before joining FGG Spa, adds a layer of franchisor-side expertise directly into the operator's growth plan.

Florida Becomes the Focus

The new units will concentrate primarily in Florida, adding to Danver's existing footprint in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina. Florida's population growth and steady demand for affordable wellness services make it a logical next market for an operator already running at scale elsewhere in the Northeast and Southeast, and all 13 spas will be new construction rather than conversions or acquisitions.

What It Signals for the System

Development deals from a brand's largest franchisee carry more weight than a first-time buyer's commitment, since they reflect years of unit-level performance data rather than a bet on an unproven concept. For Hand & Stone, now a 650-plus unit brand ranked No. 1 in the spa category by Entrepreneur for four of the last six years, repeat investment from its most established operator suggests the accessible wellness category still has room to run even as competition for massage and facial customers intensifies nationally. Danver has said his goal is to reach 100 locations.