MEMBER PROFILE
AVANTGARD SPA
Pioneering the
Idea of Wellness
20
EARS!
A
Y
vantGard Spa
marks its 20th
anniversary this year. It was
the first-ever spa to open in
San Carlos, California, pioneering the idea
of health and wellness in its community
long before the word “spa” became mainstream. Blanca Caballero, owner and spa
director, has long dreamed of running her
16 PULSE
■
BY
ALEXANDER
MENRISKY
September 2015
own business and opening a
spa since she worked as a young
receptionist at a local hair salon. Finally, in
1995, she opened the first and then-only
spa in town. Before it became a fullservice day spa, AvantGard Spa was
initially a skin-care clinic for five years.
“We opened with three estheticians/
massage therapists, including myself,” she
recalls. “Now, we have 45 team members
and two spa locations that are within 100
feet. The main spa is our largest location
while the second branch is a natural nail
spa salon.”
First Advantage
Caballero believes that being the first
spa in the community has given