After nearly four decades in Jamaica’s spa industry, Island Rituals Spa is navigating another transition as founder Janice McLeod works to rebuild its Kingston clientele following a move from Devon House to Summit, while preparing to reopen its Ocho Rios location by December.

McLeod, who founded the business in 1985, has spent much of that time adapting Island Rituals to changes in Jamaica’s spa and tourism industries, from operating in hotels and manufacturing spa products to establishing a standalone Kingston location. The latest chapter of Island Rituals, however, is part of a much longer journey that began almost by accident after its founder left Kingston, got married, and moved to Ocho Rios.

“I had to find an occupation that was doable, and spa was one of them. Spas were just taking over; every hotel was putting in a spa,” she told the Jamaica Observer in an interview.

At the time, spas were largely tied to Jamaica’s hotel and tourism industry. McLeod found an opportunity there, eventually spending 12 years at Sandals Ocho Rios. Her business interests eventually expanded beyond spa treatments when restrictions on imports made it increasingly difficult to source products for the industry, pushing her to begin making her own. That practical response to supply challenges developed into a product line spanning soaps, lotions, spa baths, candles, body scrubs, and body rubs. By 1999, McLeod had stepped away from spa operations and focused on manufacturing products.

“I actually retired from spa in 1999,” she shared.

Her growing reputation for making spa products eventually led to an opportunity at Devon House. McLeod was initially approached to make products for the property, but during an interaction with Janette Taylor, executive director of Devon House Development Company, she demonstrated one of her lotions by massaging it into Taylor’s hand. The encounter ultimately led to a spa being established at the property.

“Once I touched her, she said, ‘No, no, we need a spa, Devon House.’ And that’s how it started again,” she said.

Island Rituals Spa opened at Devon House in December 2016, bringing the business into Kingston at a time when the local spa market was developing beyond its traditional hotel base. But the Kingston market presented a different set of challenges.

While clients on the North Coast were already familiar with spa treatments through the tourism industry, McLeod found that Kingston consumers had different priorities. The business found that nails and hair performed particularly well, while massages and other treatments required more education around the concept of self-care.

“The impression most people had is that spas are for rich people,” she told Sunday Finance. “It took us such a while to break it down and show everybody that spa is self-care. And it doesn’t have to be expensive.”

Training has also become central to McLeod’s approach to maintaining industry standards. Early in her career she noticed that many people entering the field had not been trained to the standards she encountered in the hotel industry on the North Coast. Since 1989, she has trained people in massage and skincare, helping them develop careers in the sector. However, finding and retaining people with the right attitude towards service remains one of the challenges of operating the business.

On the customer side, however, Island Rituals has largely relied on organic growth rather than traditional marketing. Foot traffic at Devon House and wordof-mouth referrals helped to build its customer base, including foreign visitors.

Island Rituals also benefited from a partnership with Gustazos, which helped the business gain exposure among corporate clients in Kingston. Demand also persisted during the COVID-19 pandemic, with customers still finding ways to visit despite the restrictions. But rising rent at Devon House eventually forced Island Rituals to relocate to Summit at the end of May this year.

“I’m a typical Jamaican. If I’m going to pay that kind of money for rent. I must own the building when I’m finished,” McLeod told Sunday Finance.

The move, however, has come with a cost beyond rent, as the business has had to adjust to slower customer traffic since leaving Devon House. Island Rituals is now working to rebuild its customer base at Summit.

“It’s just, I didn’t realise how hard a lot of people find change. And they were so used to Devon House and getting the food,” she said.

While rebuilding its Kingston clientele, McLeod is also preparing for the possible reopening of Island Rituals in Ocho Rios by December. The decision follows repeated requests from former clients and the emergence of a trained staff member who McLeod trusts to oversee the operation.

“Either it’s old age, stupidity, or believing that it can be done,” she told Sunday Finance.

The planned reopening, however, does not signal an aggressive expansion strategy. Any growth must remain consistent with the service standards that have defined the business throughout its history. That same philosophy is shaping her approach to succession.

McLeod has spent decades training people, but she is not necessarily looking for a family member to inherit the business. Instead, she wants someone who understands the importance of service and is willing to preserve what she has built.

“My succession planning is to find someone within the group of people I’ve trained… who is interested, who wants it and who feels the same way I felt, and I’d be happy,” said McLeod.

That philosophy is reflected in the environment McLeod has created at Island Rituals, which she describes as akin to coming home to grandma — familiar, comfortable, and relaxing. For her, that sense of escape is part of the value of the business. She said clients often arrive carrying the weight of their everyday lives and leave visibly lighter, making that transformation one of the most rewarding aspects of the work.

“We practice love, showing love, because you can only speak with your hands. And when I lay hands on that body, that is it,” said McLeod.

“As long as you’re in need of rest and repair, I will take you from two to 2022.”