Former TV co-hosts make spa, café biz dream a reality

aPartners Jonathan Edmon Cimafranca and Nicole Tuazon have ventured into the wellness and café business with the opening last month of their Aloha Mana. Contributed photo/Edd Buenaviaje

They loved to experience a good massage and a good cup of coffee.

These are two of the passions of former TV co-hosts Jonathan Edmon Cimafranca, 27, and Nicole Tuazon, 28, who had long planned to put up a business anchored on the two things that they passionately love.

So together with three other partners they set up a spa and a café in one business, which they called Aloha Mana.

Since they are new to the wellness and cafe industry, the two in one concept is a big plus to them and to their clients.

“At Aloha Mana, you get to enjoy the same feel of getting a massage by the beach in a beachside cabana, or having a relaxing conversation with friends and family at the cafe while enjoying hearty meals and delicious coffee,” Cimafranca said.

“All of that within just a few minutes from the hustle and bustle of the city,” he added.

Aloha Mana is located at the second floor of Queensland Manor Condominium along Rahmann Street in Cebu City.

While most would find it hard to balance two major offerings like a cafe and a spa together, Cimafranca and Tuazon do so by ensuring that they provide quality services which their customers can come back to.

For their spa, they take pride on their Aloha Mana Signature Massage which is also known as the Many Hands Massage.

Here, two therapists handle one client using synchronized movements.

Their massage services range from P250 to P650.

The spa currently has 12 therapists in rotation. They are all NC II Certificate holders, trained by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

“We also took quite some time training our therapists. We truly had to invest on them to ensure the quality of the services we offer,” Cimafranca said.

Cimafranca and Tuazon and their business partners Lucille Alinsug, Marites Castillo, and Carolina Andres invested close to P2 million in opening Aloha Mana.

Most of their starting capital was used for construction and renovation of their space.

Being a new player in the vibrant business community in Cebu, the owners of Aloha Mana are focusing on building a good reputation for themselves.

“Having opened for just over a month, Aloha Mana is slowly picking up and building its brand. Considering our location, the condominium is fairly new and not yet known, we’re still on the ‘getting to know’ phase,” Cimafranca said.

Right now, they are not yet operating at full capacity and are still testing the waters.

In their operations so far, the duo made sure to provide the best experience for their customers.

Fortunately, they have been serving satisfied customers who help them spread the word about their services.

“A happy and satisfied client always comes back. Plus, great news is always talked about. We are truly thankful for all of them for sharing their experiences with us. And also, we maintain a high level of quality. Always the best for our clients,” he said.

For their cafe, Aloha Mana has two employees – the head barista John, who trained with Linear Coffee Roasters, and his sidekick Clyde.

The cafe uses coffee beans by Linear Coffee Roasters.

One of their best sellers is their blend of Aloha Mana White Brew.