Name of Business: Melinda Chance Massage Therapy

Location: In the Mercantile Building, 202 W Main St. #209

Contact: MCMstudio209@gmail.com

Hours of Operation: Tuesdays-Saturdays, by appointment.

History of Business: Although December may be the end of the year, it is just the beginning for a local masseuse opening her own studio downtown.

Turlock resident Melinda Chance began her career as a massage therapist after graduating from the Utah College of Massage Therapy in 2007. As a child, Chance had dreams of becoming a doctor to follow her passion for helping others.

“I wanted to help everyone be well and feel good,” said Chance. “The dream morphed a bit after I had surgery on my knee and the best thing that soothed my pain was massage, not the pain killers that were prescribed. I chose to study massage therapy because I wanted a way to help soothe pain and discomfort in the body in a holistic way.”

Although Chance recognizes the need for prescription medication for individuals dealing with physical pain, she also believes that massage therapy can be a safer route for those hesitant to taking daily pain medication.

“Many times medical attention is needed, but if I can help a few people that could avoid taking daily pain killers, then it is worth it all to me,” said Chance.

While her new studio downtown is her first in her hometown of Turlock, Chance has previous years of experience working as a massage therapist in studios in both Park City and Salt Lake City after studying in Utah. After graduating from the University of Utah with a Bachelor’s Degree in English, Chance moved back to Turlock to be closer to family while figuring out the next steps for her life.

“Over the course of a year, I was influenced by some great people and encouraged to open my own studio,” said Chance.

Her studio, Melinda Chance Massage Therapy, is located in the mercantile building on Main Street located just above Dustbowl Brewing Company.

“My favorite kind of massage to give is deep tissue, but my main focus is to address the needs of my clients,” said Chance. “Therefore, I incorporate other kinds of massage techniques according to the needs of the client.”

Business Specialty: Deep tissue massage; massage therapy