By Kendra Hill Staff Writer
As of March 27th 2020 Five Island Spa in Emmetsburg is shutting its doors for good. This is a local spa located in the downtown area. There was a total of 5 massage therapist that are now unemployed due to COVID-19. As these massage therapist sit at home thinking about the next time they are able to give massages or just be able to get a job lets talk to three of them about what they are doing now to stay busy and how they are handling no longer having a job.
“COVID played a big part in our closure, but there were other factors that affected it as well.”, Said Kelly Higgins Bay owner of Five Island Spa. “I had to take a hard look at our finances both for my family and the business. Ultimately, the long term financial uncertainty regarding rebuilding after the virus passes was the major deciding factor. I believe that it the time, energy and financial commitment to rebuilding the business would have put too much of a strain on my family.”
There where mixed emotions about the store closing as some of the former employees worked there for four or more years. Many of the clients that would go in had a favorite massage therapist to see and some of them just wanted to get in to get a massage.
Some employees weren’t able to say goodbye to former coworkers along with clients. As this was a decision made very quickly and made very public as soon as they found out that Governor Kim Reynolds was closing spa’s, hairdressers, and nonessential jobs.
“I didn’t get a chance to say good bye. On Thursday March 12th I remember joking with my boss asking when we would close the spa for Covid 19? She said something like it’s not going to close is we are strong.”Said Danielle L’Heureux a former employee of four years. “Left that night at 5 and everyone wished me a good vacation and off I went. March 13th I took off to Arizona with my sisters and everything was fine. I got back from Arizona Monday the 16th of March and text my boss that I would see her on the 18th. I got a call from my boss early on the 17th that i was temporarily without a job and go ahead and file unemployment. March 20th I got an email from my boss saying the spa was closing for good and that the last day of business would be the 27th.”
L’heureux later on said, “I never got to say good bye…… Went on vacation before this happened. It was very hard to go back into the building to get my stuff. I broke down in tears while in the building and then again that night.”
Everyone at this work place was family. If somebody needed something someone made sure it would happen. If someone was having a rough day they would cheer each other up.
“The people opportunity to help others feel better, said Kathy Harn a former employee. “I will just miss working with the people that I had a chance to work with.”
Many of them have not a clue what they are going to due now since the shop is closed. But many of them have said that if it wasn’t for Covid-19 they would still be working in the same place, with the same people and clients.
“My future is unclear. I am in the process of getting my LPN reinstated but unable to proceed with that until things start opening up. I’m also toying with the idea of opening up my own spa. Currently working on putting a business plan together and going from there.”-L’heureux.
Call of the Lake 
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