Drybar owners bring new massage concept to Florida

The owners of blow-dry salon Drybar have taken on a new concept — massage — and are looking to Sarasota to open their first location in Florida.

Squeeze will open this June in Fruitville Commons at 3070 Fruitville Commons Blvd., Suite 100.

Sarasota was selected as the company’s entry point into Florida for its “sophisticated and health-forward culture,” according to a spokesperson for Squeeze.

The new 2,446-square-foot Squeeze at Fruitville Commons will feature eight massage suites.

What sets Squeeze apart from other massage franchises is the technology-guided experience. Clients use the Squeeze app to select everything from the type of music they want to hear to the spots on their bodies they want massaged to the aromatherapy they would like incorporated. People can book the massage, pay for it and leave a tip afterward by using the app.

The app “bridges the seamlessness of an on-demand mobile experience with brick-and-mortar destinations,” a spokesperson says.

The first Squeeze opened in 2019 in Los Angeles, according to Franchise Times. The owners of Drybar, Alli Webb and Michael Landau, founded Squeeze along with Drybar's previous vice president of marketing Brittany Driscoll.

The Sarasota location will be the 15th Squeeze in the U.S., while 90 sites are in the development phase. Locations currently operational range from Rhode Island to Arizona. A Squeeze in Tampa is also expected to open this summer. It will be at 1124 Gramercy Lane in South Tampa.