A Decade of Wellness at Cloud 9

As we celebrate a decade of unwavering support from our loyal clients, we are thrilled to revisit the journey of the Whitener family. Their commitment to family, health and wellness has been an integral part of our spa’s story. Kim, her husband Jim, and their son Nick have been a cherished member of the Cloud 9 community for 10 years and their story continues to inspire us and shape the essence of our spa. In November of 2014, we shared a blog story on the Whitener family as regulars of Cloud 9 Houston Medical Center. Today, a decade later, we are honored to celebrate their continued loyalty as valued members of our Cloud 9 family.

“Cloud 9 Spa has been a positive part of our lives since we started going there a decade ago. Nick started going to Cloud 9 when he was ten years old. Can you believe he will be 21 in September?”

Massage Is For All Ages

Many children have grown with us, and one of our most notable clients is Nick Whitener. Kim shares how, when Nick was just ten years old, he would accompany her to her massage appointments, waiting patiently while playing games. One day, Nick decided to try a massage himself and has been hooked ever since! Back then, Nick’s favorite therapist at our Houston location was Jack. (Who is still with us, but now at our Sugar Land location!) We all fondly remember young Nick eagerly waiting at the door, holding a personalized envelope to personally tip Jack. It was simply adorable.

Nick played little league baseball in his early teens and some football and golf in high school. He currently still enjoys golf and is also a ski and snowboarding club member. Nick shares that massage has helped him prevent injury and relax as he juggles his demanding studies and internships with his passion for sports. He is currently attending the University of Virginia and majoring in economics and real estate, and will start his third year in the Fall.

“He misses Cloud 9. There is nothing like it in Charlottesville, VA. The first thing he wants to do when he flies home now is head to Cloud 9 for a much-needed massage. This summer, we are trying to make more time to schedule our massages when Nick can join us, like the days before college started.”

Kim’s story is equally inspiring. She shares how in 2021 her fibromyalgia was getting worse and eventually led to a diagnosis of polyneuropathy. She was also diagnosed with breast cancer in November of 2022 and we are delighted to share that she recently completed treatment and is now doing well! Kim shares how her family is a huge support and how she utilized massage therapy and acupuncture to proactively take care of her health.

“Jim was a huge support and wonderful husband during my treatment and in the process of getting Nick moved into UVA. My continued and regular massages and acupuncture at Cloud 9 also got me through my treatment and afterward in my healing.”

A Family-Friendly Concept

As we explored franchising and thought of what sets us apart from other spas, the Whiteners were among the many families that frequented our spa, inspiring us to brand ourselves as a family-friendly spa. Our signature foot massage became a favorite for families because it allowed them to comfortably bring their children to enjoy the experience as well.

“We love the spa’s family-friendly concept and truly believe children benefit from massages.  We wouldn’t have become life-long clients of Cloud 9 if we couldn’t bring Nick along. Health and wellness should be a family affair.  We believe in starting them young.”

As one of our many favorite customers, we wanted to ask the Whitener family what they thought of us franchising Cloud 9 and what they would like to see from us as we grow and expand. Kim shared:

“We are thrilled for the Cloud 9 family as they begin franchising the spa. We hope they will continue doing what they do well: taking care of the local community’s wellness and offering the best massages that Cloud 9 is known for at an affordable price.”

Thanks to the overwhelming support and love from families like the Whiteners, we’ve been blessed to be able to expand into the Pearland and Sugar Land areas in Texas. With seven locations now across Texas, California, and Washington, and soon an upcoming franchise in Dallas, we are thrilled to now be able to bring the Cloud 9 signature experience to more families nationwide. Thank you to the Whitener family for being a part of our journey! You can check out The Whitener’s blog post from 10 years ago here!