Bellava Spa Set to Open in Bedford Hills

Bellava MedAesthetics & Spa, first approved by Bedford planners in January, is set to open right after Labor Day and will offer cosmetic medical, aesthetic beauty and traditional spa treatments.

While some locals might view spa services as a luxury in these financial times, owner Erica Breining, 32, said she hoped to draw customers of all ages who wanted to look younger and feel better.

"A visit to the spa can be when people can come in and have stress-free time, and forget their worries for an hour," she said. "We'll offer services at all price points."

It's not the first business this young entrepreneur has started. After graduating from the University of Michigan, receiving an MBA from Columbia and working at IBM, she launched a handbag business that she still operates today.

"I like the feeling of starting something from nothing, offering a product or service to benefit others and turning it into a success," she said."

Bellava (pronounced Bell-lah-vah) will offer laser technology services similar to another medi-spa further down Route 117 in Mt. Kisco, but Breining said having a board-certified plastic surgeon onsite sets their business apart.

"Dr. James Lyons can perform services that non-medical staff can't, like ablative skin resurfacing, which helps improve skin that is scarred or skin with deep wrinkles," she said. "And we're lucky to have Christine Wemyss, a certified nurse injector and a part-owner in he business, on staff. She really inspired me to open the spa."

One service offered at very few spas in Westchester, according to Breining, is called a hydrafacial, featured amid a trend toward less-invasive spa services, she said. "A chemical peel can cause peeling for up to a week, but this service leaves your skin looking great and has no downtime."

The 3,000 square foot space will feature a modern design and furnishings by Jonathan Adler, Eames and Phillipe Starck, said spa manager Patty Giano, in a press release.

For more information on the new business,