Hand & Stone runs on recurring monthly memberships, not walk-in visits, which means the membership base — not just the treatment rooms — is usually the central thing a buyer is paying for and a seller is handing over. It's also a clinic staffed by registered massage therapists, a regulated health profession in Ontario, so staffing continuity carries its own weight alongside the usual franchisor consent, right of first refusal, and disclosure questions that come with any franchise resale.
Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa resales follow the franchisor's own approval process on top of the usual purchase mechanics — here's how the two run together.
Getting approved
Price and terms, with conditions built in for franchisor consent, an assignable lease, and a clear picture of the active membership base being sold.
usually 1–2 weeks†Head office reviews the incoming buyer's application and can exercise its right of first refusal instead of letting the sale proceed as negotiated.
several weeks, typically†Courts read the resale-disclosure exemption narrowly, so a franchisor-facilitated Hand & Stone resale may still require a full Arthur Wishart disclosure document before you're bound.
assessed early†Getting to closing
The spa's commercial lease needs the landlord's written consent to assign, timed alongside the franchisor's own review.
2–6 weeks†The incoming owner typically completes brand-standard management training, while continuity of the registered massage therapist and esthetics team is worked through separately.
before or shortly after closing†Funds, keys, and signed documents change hands, alongside a handover of active membership records and confirmation that landlord and franchisor consent are both in hand.
1 day, once conditions are met†CFA listing confirms an active Canadian franchise network alongside a dedicated handandstonemassagefranchise.ca site.
Ontario clinics within its Canadian franchise network.
This is the first real decision in a Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa resale — and it changes what you're buying, what you're taking on, and how the franchise agreement moves.
| Question | Asset purchase | Share purchase |
|---|---|---|
| What you buy | The spa's equipment and treatment-room build-out, leasehold improvements, its active membership base, and the benefit of the existing franchise agreement, subject to consent. | The shares of the operating company — every location it holds under the Hand & Stone banner, and everything it owes. |
| Seller's liabilities | Generally stay behind with the seller's existing corporation. | Generally come with the company, including obligations tied to any other locations it operates. |
| Franchisor consent & ROFR | Required for this specific location, and typically the pacing condition on the whole deal. | Required for the change of control itself — the franchisor reviews who is actually taking over. |
| Membership base & booking data | Active membership contracts and client booking records transfer with appropriate privacy handling under PIPEDA. | Stays with the corporation, with the franchisor typically notified of the change in ownership. |
| Registered massage therapist staffing | Continuity of RMT and esthetics staff is a business relationship to manage, distinct from the lease or equipment. | Employment generally continues uninterrupted, since the employer entity doesn't change. |
| Typical use in a Hand & Stone resale | The default for a single location changing hands. | More common where one operator holds several Hand & Stone locations under one company. |
The spa's equipment and treatment-room build-out, leasehold improvements, its active membership base, and the benefit of the existing franchise agreement, subject to consent.
The shares of the operating company — every location it holds under the Hand & Stone banner, and everything it owes.
Generally stay behind with the seller's existing corporation.
Generally come with the company, including obligations tied to any other locations it operates.
Required for this specific location, and typically the pacing condition on the whole deal.
Required for the change of control itself — the franchisor reviews who is actually taking over.
Active membership contracts and client booking records transfer with appropriate privacy handling under PIPEDA.
Stays with the corporation, with the franchisor typically notified of the change in ownership.
Continuity of RMT and esthetics staff is a business relationship to manage, distinct from the lease or equipment.
Employment generally continues uninterrupted, since the employer entity doesn't change.
The default for a single location changing hands.
More common where one operator holds several Hand & Stone locations under one company.
We tell you which structure fits — before you sign anything.
No open-ended hourly surprises — the cost is confirmed in writing before any work begins.
| Type of work | Fee | How it's confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Straightforward purchase or sale | Starting from $3,388.87 Our charges · taxes included | Confirmed in writing once we see the agreement. |
| Larger or more complex deal | Quoted to scope | Short call → fixed written quote before any work begins. |
| Searches, filings & third-party fees | At cost | Itemized on your invoice, not marked up. |
A single Hand & Stone location changing hands between one buyer and one seller — an established membership base, a standard lease, and a straightforward franchisor consent process.
Start my file →An operator selling several Hand & Stone locations as one company, or a resale where the franchisor's right of first refusal, membership-transfer terms, or a disclosure question needs to be worked through before terms are final.
Book a consultation →Not sure which you are? That's our job to figure out, not yours. As a rough guide, most deals under a couple of million dollars are the first kind — above that, you're usually in Mergers & Acquisitions territory.
Largely, yes. Revenue here runs on recurring monthly memberships rather than one-off visits, so the value of an active, well-retained membership base typically matters more to the price than the room count or equipment does. Diligence looks closely at member retention and cancellation trends, not just the topline number.
It adds a layer. RMTs are a regulated health profession in Ontario, governed by their own college requirements independent of who owns the clinic — so their standing isn't something a change of ownership affects directly, but keeping a stable RMT team through the transition is still a real business question for a buyer.
On an asset sale, active membership agreements are typically assigned to the buyer along with appropriate handling of member and health-intake data under PIPEDA. We confirm the terms members are entitled to keep, and how the transition is communicated to them.
Not necessarily. Ontario courts have read the resale-disclosure exemption narrowly, and franchisor involvement in matching buyer to seller can still trigger a full disclosure requirement. We confirm whether it applies to your specific deal early, rather than assuming it from the word 'resale.'
Generally no — an RMT's registration with their college is tied to the individual therapist, not the business, so it typically continues regardless of who owns the spa. What we do confirm is that each therapist's standing is current and that their engagement terms carry over cleanly.
Related
Where we close franchise resale deals
Treadstone Law is an independent law firm. We act for buyers and sellers of franchise businesses. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or retained by Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa or its franchisor.
Tell us about your Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa resale — we'll point you the right way and confirm the cost in writing before any work begins.