Behind an unassuming storefront on West Street, a small boutique spa is full of the unexpected. Xpress Therapy (60 West St) isn’t exactly an upscale massage parlor nor is it a physical therapy office, but it has aspects of both, thanks to its owner, Nestor Cora, ex-Olympian with close to 30 years of experience as a massage therapist.
Towering over most at 6’5″, the former pro basketball player has the demeanor of a gentle giant and the space inside Xpress Therapy feels like the lair of a wandering bohemian — rustic and eclectic — where tea is served and meditative music emanates throughout.
As a pro athlete since the tender age of 16, Nestor learned a lot about the body, health, and nutrition in order to maximize performance at sports events. It was after sustaining an injury that his focus shifted to healing, and he supplemented his knowledge with formal training at the Swedish Institute as well as studying abroad in Bali.
Over the years, he’s worked at many luxury spas as well as medical offices offering a variety of traditional services from Swedish, deep tissue, to aromatherapy. But what he seems most uniquely positioned to do, given his background, are sports massages and medical massages.
According to Nestor, there are two types of sports massages and they both involve stretches to help prevent injury and elongate the body. Pre-event sports massages are done before an event or activity like jogging and the massage movement is rapid to get the blood circulation up. Post-event sports massages are at a slower pace to bring the body back to normal pace.
A Medical Massage targets an injured area and can include a hot pack, cold pack, or Chinese cupping. Chinese cupping draws fresh blood into the area where the injury is, which helps to heal the area.
Looking at Xpress Therapy’s offerings, you may be surprised to see pricing as low as $30 for a massage. For Nestor, “I feel like massage can help heal the body in a lot of ways and is something people should experience whether they are an athlete or not so I wanted to make it accessible. It was never a get rich thing type of thing for me.”
Tucked away among shiny new construction buildings, an affordable option like Xpress Therapy is a rare find these days. And businesses with character run by quirky creatives like this one is what makes New York, New York.
This summer mention GREENPOINTERS for $10 off 60 – 90 minute massages or take advantage of any of these package deals:
- 1 Hour Full Body + 30 Minute Foot Massage ($69)
- Couples Massage – 1 hour ($89), 90 minutes ($115)
For a full list of offerings, visit Xpresstherapy.com. Available Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Call (347) 246-3246 or Book Online.
I went for a massage after seeing this article. It was perfect!! Thanks for sharing!