Stavanger Drive preschool closes after spa service scares off parents

A preschool in the east end of St. John's has closed, with the owner and parents blaming the business next door — a business they say is operating as an adult massage parlour.

Keith Newhook took his two-year-old son out of Kid's Tree Early Learning and Music Centre in December.

"We learned, or heard, that there was a business in the building next door that had some questionable business practices, and we didn't feel that it was appropriate for our son anymore," said Newhook.

"It's a shame because he really liked the [centre]. He got to know the teachers and the students, and he did enjoy going there."

Newhook wasn't the only parent to leave.

Owner Youmin Lee said she had 75 students in September, but by February — when her lease was up — a number of parents had taken their kids out, saying they weren't comfortable with the business next door.

Lee said given the situation, she made the difficult decision to close her business.

"I can't pay rent, haven't paid since January," said Lee. "I've been complaining about it since last April, but no one will do anything about it."

The problem, according to Lee and parents like Newhook, is with Relaxation Spa, a company that set up shop right next to the preschool last spring.

They say Relaxation Spa operates as an erotic massage parlour.

"You can tell. A client emailed with pictures of their advertisement. My clients actually went there for like manicure, pedicure, and experienced being told it's 'not that kind of spa,'" said Lee.

"It's definitely frustrating — I can't run a business with what's next door," she said. 

Not kid friendly

Relaxation Spa, the preschool and several other businesses operate in a strip mall on the edge of Stavanger Drive, around the corner from Winners, and right next to the Clovelly subdivision.

People who work in the building told CBC they became suspicious of the spa when they noticed only male patrons were going in there.

They found advertisements for the spa on two local websites that advertise adult services.

CBC found an advertisement for Relaxation Spa on NLAdult.com posted February 2015, along with 11 other postings either seeking reviews of the spa's services or recommending it.

One post tells readers that a well-known adult massage parlour in St. John's "and the new relaxation spa on Stavanger are the only spots you should consider when looking into a massage parlour."

CBC News sent two producers — a male and a female — into Relaxation Spa to check it out. One producer spoke with two women who work at a reception desk, with no cash register or computer, and asked for a manicure and pedicure.

An employee told her the spa only offers facials and body massages.

The male producer who said he was organizing a bachelor party for a friend's wedding was told repeatedly to "come and try" when he inquired about the services offered.

I've been complaining about it since last April, but no one will do anything about it.- Youmin Lee

The website for Relaxation Spa advertises "discreet quality massage service" and a "sensual" experience by a "staff of clean, beautiful young girls."

Youmin Lee said as her business started to suffer, she pleaded with the property manager and landlord multiple times to deal with Relaxation Spa's alleged erotic business so she could continue to operate her daycare.

"No one seemed to want to do anything about it," said parent Newhook, who one of several Kid's Tree Early Learning clients who told CBC the spa made them uncomfortable.

"I mean she was here for four or five years. She grew, from what I see, a fairly successful business and she was forced to shut down because of something completely out of her control and no one could help her."

Landlord denies allegations

The property manager of the 140 Stavanger Drive building referred CBC to the landlord, whose lawyer responded in an email. She said her client recently purchased the property and assumed existing leases.

The lawyer said the lease with Relaxation Spa allows the unit to be used as a spa including foot massages, pedicures, manicures, body massages and facials, and no other purpose — with the operators "adamantly" denying any other services are being provided.

"The landlord is in the process of installing cameras on the premises to ensure the safety of all of its tenants," she wrote.

Relaxation Spa is operating legally with the appropriate permit from the City of St. John's, issued in April 2015.

In a statement to CBC, the city said current regulations "have no definition for a massage parlour and therefore such applications fall under the broader definition of 'service shop,'" adding "it appears" Relaxation Spa is being used for that purpose.

New regulations coming

Meanwhile, the city is working on new regulations to define massage parlours separately from a "service shop" and keep them a minimum distance from residential properties.

To develop those new regulations, the city consulted St. John's-based Safe Harbour Outreach Program (S.H.O.P.), which offers support to sex workers.

S.H.O.P representatives said the preschool predicament highlights the difficulty with crafting regulations around massage parlours.

• Moratorium on permits for adult massage parlours in St. John's
• Erotic massage parlour moratorium applauded by youth outreach group

There are "unintended consequences of pushing massage parlours out of their discreet locations in residential areas to commercial areas such as Stavanger Drive, where they are much more visible," said a representative.

For parent Newhook, that's exactly the issue.

"They can co-exist, but not as neighbours in a commercial place, in my opinion," he said.

The City of St. John's said new regulations should be completed within the year — too late for Kid's Tree Early Learning and Music Centre.