By Kristina Krob
The Alpine Sun
     ALPINE — Alpine Massage Therapy, formerly owned by Babette Farmer, is now under new ownership, as Katherine Torres-Kenion has taken over operations as of June 1.
     “I never really anticipated entering a business like this,” Torres-Kenion said, “but it felt like the right thing to do.”
     Torres-Kenion was a client at Alpine Massage for the better part of 11 years, and when Farmer moved out of the Alpine area, she turned to Torres-Kenion to sell. Torres-Kenion and her husband, James Kenion, have three children, the youngest of whom will start school in the fall. In terms of timing, Torres-Kenion said, it was perfect.
     Torres-Kenion is a registered nurse, and is part of the management staff at Sharp Memorial Hospital’s surgical department, where she has worked for almost 11 years. She is not a massage therapist herself, but is able to oversee the patients at Alpine Massage. Her husband has been helping out with advertising and marketing.
     The licensed massage therapist at Alpine Massage is Michael Durrett, a holistic health practitioner who has been practicing for almost two years. He has held licenses in Utah and Palm Springs, and is now licensed in San Diego.
     Alpine Massage offers several different types of therapeutic and medical massage. Clients can opt for the classic Swedish massage, deep tissue or trigger-point massage. Some alternative forms of treatment are cranial sacral therapy, in which the spine, head and sacrum are massaged with five pounds of pressure, or hydrostone therapy, which used hot or cold stones to massage the body.
     There are set rates at Alpine Massage, ranging from $40 for a 30-minute massage to $120 for the hydrostone treatment, which lasts 90 minutes. Massage packages are also available, ranging from four 15-minute massages for $90 to $345 for four 90-minute massages. Patients may also pay extra for additional services like aromatherapy.
     Since it has been open, the business at Alpine Massage has been “very consistent,” according to Torres-Kenion. “Obviously, we want to expand that clientele.”
     “There has been the transition of taking on new clients,” Durrett said. “Massage is very intimate, so people are a little guarded at first before making a commitment to a new therapist.”
     Alpine Massage is located in the Alpine Creek Shopping Center, 1347 Tavern Rd. Suite 17-B. It is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.
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