Have a Facial, a Pedicure and a Glass of Chardonnay

Sinclair, Melissa Scott. The Virginian Pilot 22 February 2005, The Daily Break: E1-E2.

Virginia law does not provide ABC licenses for salons or spas to serve a complimentary glass of wine with certain beauty services. Soon, however, that may change.

The revolution began when Cindy and Matt Galumbeck, owners of Spa Phoenix in Virginia Beach, were asked by clients to offer wine with the spa's all-day beauty treatments. "It would be really nice to help us relax, to have a glass of wine with our lunch," they said.

Wanting to ensure that her spa did everything by the book, Cindy Galumbeck asked Del. Terrie Suit, R-Virginia Beach, how to go about getting a license to serve wine.

Suit spent some time investigating the Galumbecks' options and found alcoholic beverage licenses for polo matches, steeplechases and museums. But not for spas.

"Finally, at the end of this exhaustive research," Suit said, "I told them there was just nothing that would allow them to do this legally." So she drafted a bill, HB1822, that established an ABC license for day spas, defined as places that offer both massage and hair/cosmetology services.