‘Let the salt heal you’: Salt Spa in Concord offers an escape from everyday hustle

Melynda Parker of Salt Spa Concord LLC demonstrates using the Red Light Therapy; Below, she sifts through the fine Himalayan salt in front of the salt wall at her new business on Tuesday.

Melynda Parker of Salt Spa Concord LLC demonstrates using the Red Light Therapy; Below, she sifts through the fine Himalayan salt in front of the salt wall at her new business on Tuesday. GEOFF FORESTER photos / Monitor staff

Melynda Parker of Salt Spa Concord LLC, sifts through the fine Himalayan salt in front of the salt wall at her new business on Tuesday, October 15, 2024. At the Salt Spa, clients can unwind in a variety of serene, salt-filled environments.

Melynda Parker of Salt Spa Concord LLC, sifts through the fine Himalayan salt in front of the salt wall at her new business on Tuesday, October 15, 2024. At the Salt Spa, clients can unwind in a variety of serene, salt-filled environments. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

Melynda Parker sits at her new business on Tuesday. At the Salt Spa, clients can unwind in a variety of serene, salt-filled environments.

Melynda Parker sits at her new business on Tuesday. At the Salt Spa, clients can unwind in a variety of serene, salt-filled environments. GEOFF FORESTER / Monitor staff

By SRUTHI GOPALAKRISHNAN

Monitor staff

Published: 10-28-2024 8:52 AM

Modified: 10-28-2024 10:29 AM


For Melynda Parker, owning and running a women’s gym in Bow for eight years was all about pushing boundaries for herself and her clients. She thrived on the sweat, the grit and the relentless pursuit of fitness goals. But now, her latest venture is a complete shift from that intensity.

In her new business Salt Spa Concord, tucked away on Loudon Road in Concord, Parker has created a sanctuary where time slows down, allowing the outside world to fade away.

“I just needed to have a different way of helping people, without being at the gym and running myself into the ground every day,” said Parker. “Everybody that comes in here has been very happy, which fills my heart so much.”

Himalayan salt lamps bathe her spa in a soft glow, while soothing music blends with the gentle trickle of water from fountains, each sound inviting you to let go.

At the Salt Spa, clients can unwind in a variety of serene, salt-filled environments.

Some may choose to lie down on beds of coarse and fine Himalayan salt, while others sink their feet into the salt grains, reminiscent of the soothing sensation of burying toes in warm beach sand.

Each room offers a distinct experience — one is completely carpeted in salt, with beach toys for kids to dig and explore while their parents relax.

Another room features zero-gravity chairs, where microscopic salt particles are gently dispersed into the air, for Park’s clients to inhale.

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In one room, a glowing salt wall adds to the calming ambiance.

Clients can also indulge in massages or practice yoga in the salt rooms, adding an extra layer of rejuvenation.

In setting up the Salt Spa, Parker visited at least five other salt spas across New Hampshire, most clustered in the southern part of the state.

“I liked how it really, really cleans your body out completely,” said Parker.

After years of playing softball, Parker has experienced firsthand the soothing effects of Himalayan salt on her aching joints, especially the persistent pain in her thumb.

She said salt therapy not only eases pain in the joints but also helps with respiratory issues like asthma.

Parker is excited about her new business and at the same time eager to give back to the community, offering a special night when firefighters can experience salt therapy at half the cost, helping them recover from the fumes they inhale while battling blazes.

“I really want to give back to the community because the firefighters serve us,” Parker said.

Every inch of her spa is designed with a single purpose in mind — relaxation.

With the weight of the world pressing down on people’s shoulders and the constant stress of daily life, Parker wants her spa to be a refuge of peace and calm.

“Just breathe in the salt. Relax your body and let the salt heal you” she said.

Sruthi Gopalakrishnan can be reached at sgopalakrishnan@cmonitor.com