The concept of the “third space,” a place where people gather outside of home and work, continues to evolve. For decades, the hair salon and barbershop have served as classic third spaces, offering more than beauty services. They have long been places where clients connect, catch up on community news, and spend intentional time on self-care.

Today, a new wave of wellness destinations and health optimization clubs is expanding that idea. These spaces combine spa treatments, recovery services, preventative wellness care, and community gathering areas under one roof. For salons and spas, this shift highlights a growing opportunity to expand service offerings with wellness-focused treatments and strengthen their role as trusted third spaces in their communities.

Burke Williams founder Theresa Armour says even already-established spas have been looking to transform into preventative wellness destinations, with treatments designed to help stress reduction as part of long-term health, not indulgence. 

“Because Burke Williams is a space where wellness embraces the whole person—body, mind, and spirit—it quietly becomes a place where restoration, connection, and community flow together,” says Armour.

Community Is the New Luxury

Two other examples of these self-care centers are here in Los Angeles County, one recently opened and another yet to come. But both are banking on people's need for restorative treatments in a shared space. 

In El Segundo, California, Love.Lifeis a 45,000-square-foot "health optimization club" that blends physician-led diagnostics, microbiome testing, fitness and recovery programming, spa services and a café into a single destination. Launched by Whole Foods Market co-founder, John Mackey,  Love.Life shares their Core Values on their website, and one speaks to that importance of connection: 

Embrace the Journey: Provide a supportive community and compassionate care team that meets individuals where they are on their personal health journey. 

On Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, in the West Hollywood former home of Amoeba Music, a large-scale health and wellness destination is being developed. Set to open in 2028, the New York-based brand Bathhouse plans for an indoor-outdoor wellness environment designed for gathering as much as restoration. Bathhouse has built its identity around communal well-being rather than solitary spa rituals, blending treatments like deep-tissue massage with shared sauna sessions and cold plunges. 

With roots tracing back over 2,000 years to Finland, time spent in the sauna has long been an accepted wellness practice. These sweat centers provided a space to retreat for warmth, relaxation, and social connection.

Today, the sauna is more than a place to zone out and detoxify.  And for salons, spas, and service providers, this validates the trend of integrating health and beauty, while confirming what we've long known--people love being together, IRL.  

Elevating Their Offerings 

The hospitality industry is also leaning into this shift, expanding spa and fitness offerings into immersive wellness experiences. Hotel spa and fitness facilities, like salons, continue to expand beyond the traditional. 

At another Southern California location,  Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, wellness isn’t just an amenity but is seen as the core of the guest experience. The resort’s award-winning spa and fitness facilities include more than 100 fitness classes each week, hydrotherapy circuits, recovery treatments, racquet sports, and spaces designed specifically for yoga, Pilates, and relaxation.

The property recently expanded that philosophy through a partnership with wellness technology brand Therabody, launching a new guest experience called the Valencia Reset Package.

Following a personalized consultation with the resort’s wellness experts, guests receive a curated itinerary tailored to their goals. Their suite is then outfitted with advanced Therabody recovery tools and in-room yoga essentials designed to help them restore, recharge, and perform at their best.

The experience also includes one 60-minute training session—such as personal training, tennis, padel, or yoga—along with a 90-minute spa treatment.

Within the suite, guests can access a collection of Therabody devices designed to support recovery, stress relief, and skin health, including:

• Theragun Prime Plus – Heated percussion massage designed to maximize performance and recovery

• JetBoots PRO Plus – Wireless compression boots with LED technology

• WaveRoller – Vibrating roller for sore muscles

• SmartGoggles (2nd Gen) – Designed to soothe headaches and reduce stress

• TheraFace Mask Glo – Clinically proven LED mask

• TheraFace Depuffing Wand – Helps reduce puffiness and boost radiance

• Intake Band

The Takeaway for Salons

Clients increasingly crave experiences that allow them to slow down, disconnect from stress, and feel cared for. Salons that incorporate elements of restoration, whether through sensory environments, thoughtful service rituals, wellness add-ons, or recovery-focused treatments, can begin to position themselves as their clients’ own version of a third space.