Countless times, Michelle Zimmerman-Koch and her husband Mike drove past a small, purple house in King.
Each time, he posed the same question to her.
It was, “Do you want it?”
One day, she finally said, “Yeah.”
Zimmerman-Koch always felt the building had a good vibe.
After all, she worked there as a nail tech when it was the home of Art of Massage and Wellness.
“We took the plunge in January,” she said, of their decision to turn the formerly empty space at N2712 County Trunk QQ into a spa.
The Cottage Spa opened in mid February, with Zimmerman-Koch holding her grand opening in April.
Her daughter Charle also works there, as well as aestitician Molly Ward and massage therapists Jessica Fenske, Christy Heliger and Heather Heiliger.
Hair, nail, wax, facial, body wraps and massage services are offered.
“We have moisturing body wraps, as well as a body wrap that helps with sun burn. It cools the skin while it is healing it,” Zimmerman-Koch said. “We offer couples’ pedicures and massages. We offer three types of facials: relaxing, age defying and one for acne. We also can custom blend to each individual’s needs.”
The Cottage Spa’s menu of services also includes packages – the Lil Princess, the Lil Diva and the Rock Star. In addition, they have a wedding party package. With a party of four or more, the bride’s hair is styled for free.
All of their packages include a sweets table and beverages.
Weekly specials are Manicure Monday in which every manicure is upgraded to a spa manicure at no extra charge, Waxing Wednesday where those who spend at least $12 in waxing services get $5 off and Flip Flop Friday in which those who treat themselves to a pedicure receive a free pair of flip flops.
For Flip Flop Friday, appointments must be booked by Thursday, so they can make sure they have the right size of flip flops for the customer.
Zimmerman-Koch has worked in the beauty industry for about 20 years.
“I fell in love doing nails,” she said, explaining that she likes the detailed work involved in giving a manicure or pedicure.
“I like choosing the right color for someone and spending time on a pedicure,” she said.
She recently graduated from Gill Tech Academy in Appleton. Her daughter will soon graduate from there, too.
“We complement each other,” Zimmerman-Koch says. “We both can do it all.”
Between signing the lease in January and opening in February, Zimmerman-Koch enhanced the building’s interior and exterior.
Warm colors are featured inside.
“I took a cup of coffee into Tedd (Lees of the Paint Store) and said, ‘This is the color I want,'” she said of the color on the walls.
When it came to the outside of the building, Zimmerman-Koch decided to enhance its color scheme.
“Amy (Lempicki-McLoughlin) always had this house purple. The only thing I did was to go a shade darker. I changed the shade of green and also added pink,” she said. “I couldn’t think of any other color I wanted it to be.”
When it came to choosing a name for her spa, Zimmerman-Koch again remembered when she worked there for Lempicki-McLoughlin.
The tagline, when Art of Massage & Wellness operated out of the building, was “a cottage spa.”
Zimmerman-Koch decided to make that the name.
The Cottage Spa is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and by appointment on those days as well as on Sunday. Its phone number is 715-258-3633.