Area Emporium & Spa

Profile

Area's mini empire, which resides along Smith and Court Streets,  includes a spa, a yoga studio, and two sage-colored storefronts, all dedicated to body and skin care. The stores are cozy, colorful fortresses of natural-fiber clothes for kids and adults, as well as yoga mats, bags, and other accessories. The day spa is designed not so much to transport visitors to a magical land of relaxation as to better connect them to the bustling neighborhood around them. The airy, pastel-painted treatment center sits on the second floor of a creeky-floored brownstone overlooking a panini restaurant's garden and busy Smith Street, which means muted street noise and the smell of focaccia occasionally seep through the windows. But the unfettered setting complements Area's holistic philosophy. Products by hyper-natural skin-care brands Dr. Hauschka, Jurlique, and Weleda are both used and sold, to the delight of expats from Europe, where the lines are much more common. Estheticians are all trained in the classic Dr. Hauschka treatment, a two-hour facial that focuses on stimulating lymph flow, in addition to standard procedures like pimple extraction. The wellness continues even after the session: Clients can take a free yoga class at Area’s studio on the day of their treatment. — Kate Jacobs