Zen Massage

This place was/​has never been open to this day. It looks like they are now closing down… Maybe I was right about it being a money laundering operation?

All right, let’s face the brutal truth here… I only came here after work to get a massage so I could grab the FTR. Done? BOO-​YAH!
LOCATION: E. Broadway about 2 streets East of Redondo Ave. Street parking only.
This is a brand new place that just opened 3 days ago (Aug 18). When I walked in the door I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I later found out the two Vietnamese gentleman in the lobby area were the owners. After asking if I need an appointment, the one guy says «No», hands me a locker key and directs me to the changing room. After stripping down and putting on the supplied boxer shorts, I pick up the supplied towel and walk through the other door into the dark massage area. (They also supply slippers, but they were too small for my big waffle stompers.)
Still unsure of the routine, I am directed through the (mostly) darkness to the waiting masseur, Michael. Turns out all of the masseurs are Chinese and mine anyway, only spoke a little english. The floors are covered with nice but fake hardwood (laminate) flooring, the walls have bold relaxing colors and there are nice divider screens too.
Michael has me sit down and put my feet in a bucket of hot water. I lay back on the very comfy massage bed /​table and he proceeds to massage my head for the next 15 minutes (too long!) as my feet soak.
There was some nice relaxing Japanese music playing softly in the room, but after about 20 – 25 minutes it stopped and never started up again. Also, the alarm system would go «beep-​beep-​beep-​beep» every time some door was opened. This wasn’t a «big» deal for me, but I can see how it might get annoying to some.
So it turns out this is a traditional Chinese /​reflexology type of massage. Other reflexology massages I’ve had only do the head, sometimes neck & shoulders and of course the feet. In addition to those, this place also massaged my lower legs up to the knees (front) and after I turned over, my entire back side from neck down to feet.
Just be aware, this ain’t no Swedish massage, no sir! Being the Chinese /​reflexology type massage, they dig deeper, especially the feet and back. I asked Michael to go easy /​be gentle on the feet, which he did, it was much more pleasurable than had he not listened. However I didn’t know he was going to «dig» so deep with his elbow when working my back. Maybe I’m a wuss, but that wasn’t relaxing for me at all.
QUICK TIP: bring some cash if you plan to tip the masseur and give it to them before going back into the lobby area. Once out there they don’t want you going back into the massage area.
Once finished and out front talking to the owners, I discovered you can tailor your massage the way you may want it. I.E. focus more on certain areas, less on others, harder /​softer, etc. They only offer this one basic massage, but the owners said they can arrange for a warm stone (black river rock) massage if desired.
Oh I almost forgot, an hour massage is just $ 25!!! (EDIT: that was the first few days after opening, it’s now $ 30.)
Also at this moment it’s cash only, but they’ll be getting a credit card machine up and running sometime next week.
OVERALL: Being a brand new business and having just opened, they still have a few kinks to iron out. Once that’s done however, it will be a nice AND inexpensive place to get a massage! 3.5 stars rounded up.