Spas 30 Jun 2026 read
Third time’s a charm too. Spencer’s has arrived in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
The charming Spencer’s spa opens its doors at a third location dressed in a contemporary retelling of the early 2000s urban Japan
Spas 30 Jun 2026 read
The charming Spencer’s spa opens its doors at a third location dressed in a contemporary retelling of the early 2000s urban Japan
Ask any New Yorker and they’ll tell you, the L train which takes one from Manhattan to Brooklyn is the bane of their existence. But the minute you step out of the subway in Williamsburg, the art and creativity are ready to envelop you. The hipster neighbourhood in Brooklyn, New York, Williamsburg is indeed where all the cool things happen — from the trendiest new dining spots and aesthetic bakeries to buzzing flea markets, striking graffiti, stunning views of the Manhattan cityscape. And now it’s also home to the third outpost of Spencer’s, an immersive, holistic spa.
A wellness centre should not feel jarring; it should be somewhere you can leave your distractions (and your shoes) at the door. Entering this Spencer’s feels like stepping into a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn. Your feet touch tatami mat flooring, hands slide the shoji doors, eyes linger on the muted furniture and artefacts that simply elevate the space without screaming for attention.
The emphasis is on intimacy, warmth, and cosiness. While therapists drain your lymph nodes or perform a deep-tissue release, the calming décor works overtime to make you feel at ease. That approach shows in the palette and design; calming beige married to warm browns, exposed white brick and wood beams, private skylights juxtaposed with custom pottery pieces, ample woodwork, vintage art and rare books. A signature scent further pulls you into the immersive environment, creating a pocket of stillness where hurry and rush cease to exist.
Merging global design influences can be powerful in wellness spaces. East Asian design principles of balance, grounding, and quiet sensuality make the spa feel both warm and inviting. The intention here was not to imitate but to pay an understated ode to traditional spaces. As with the previous two spaces, founder Ryan McCarthy helped shape the décor and design of this space too by joining hands with Jessica Blumberg of Dale Interiors, whose aesthetic sense leans towards warm modernism. Together, they were able to create a space that is quintessentially Spencer’s but a contemporary interpretation of traditional aesthetics from 2000s urban Japan.
With this third location, Ryan, wanted to create something that is rooted in the familiarity of the previous two locations but also brings a new kind of feel to reflect the expansion of the brand. The result? A space where stillness begins at the door and invites you to pause and take a breath of solace among the relentless hustle of the city.
