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POKAGON TOWNSHIP — Tucked away just outside of Dowagiac is a new spa aiming to create transformative experiences.

The Secret Place Day Spa, located at 57476 M-51 S. behind Wright Farms Market,  is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, by appointment. The spa offers a wide range of services including deep tissue massages, machine and hand facials, eyelash and eyebrow services, waxing and more.

The hidden spa getaway has long been a dream of Sheila McMichael’s. A licensed esthetician and massage therapist, McMichael opened The Secret Place in August of Last year, renovating a previously unused large deck space in her home into her work space.

McMichael and her husband moved to their current home seven years ago. She dubbed her property, which sits on several acres of trees, “the secret place,” inspired by a Bible verse. At the time, Hidden Treasures Antiques and More was located close by on M-51 – where Wright Farms Market currently stands. For McMichael, it was a sign that she was in the right place, her “secret place.”

“One day I was reading the Bible and it said ‘I will give you hidden treasures in secret places’ and I just thought, this  is God just confirming it to me,” she said.

Since opening up, McMichael said business has been booming. She set up a booth at the Dowagiac Summer Festival last weekend and experienced a steady amount of traffic.

“I got bombarded by people, which was great,” she said. “I really have had a lot of returners. When I went to  the summer festival,  I had so many people take my brochure. I’ve had quite a few people book from that.”

Faith plays an important role in McMichael’s work. She looks forward to continuing to help people look good and feel good.

“I always pray and ask God to touch my hands and that he touch people through my hands,” she said. “I hope they feel rejuvenated, refreshed and restored when they leave here. Because it’s not just about wanting to look good on the outside, it’s about feeling good on the inside, too.”

For more information, contact The Secret Place at (269) 462-1309.