Today we’d like to introduce you to Christine Fugate.
Christine, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
As a child, my mom used to scratch my back whenever we hugged or was seated next to her. It became a source of comfort from her and I enjoyed it. As time passed and as we got older, it was still something she did when we hugged. In the summer of 2024, my mom suffered a series of strokes that debilitated her and required my siblings and I to help with her daily care. During the time I had with her, it became routine for me to scratch her back as she was unable to reach that area. It brought her comfort and relief and I enjoyed the bonding time with her. I had played with the idea years back about starting a scratch business but had discarded it as I was unsure it would work. But, during the time with my mom, the idea reignited. With encouragement from my mom and my husband, I decided to take a leap of faith and move forward to turn the idea into a reality. I officially opened in February of 2025 and was excited to be the first Scratch Spa in San Antonio. In March, my mom passed and I needed to take a step back from the business and unofficially closed without closing. My marketing efforts slowed and I took only a few bookings during that time. My mother’s passing affected me greatly and doing something that was sparked by her was emotionally painful. I gave myself time to grieve. In July, I decided that I needed to renew my efforts as my mom was the reason The Scratch Lounge even existed. Since then, I’ve began pouring myself into it. The Scratch Lounge isn’t your typical spa, we provide Scratch, light touch and ASMR, giving a comforting and relaxing experience. I am proud to say that we are the first like this in San Antonio and hope to expand to other cities. My mom believed in me so much and I want to make her proud.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has been a struggle due to the fact that I’ve been grieving, while trying to juggle family and a new business. It is also a new concept, many people have not heard of Scratch Therapy. We have been lucky enough to get clients in thru their sheer curiosity or because they have heard of it through social media. Getting the business out there has been a challenge in itself.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’ve been in a few professions in my life and the thing that has remained the same is that I love to help people. I used to be in the medical field and enjoyed it but hated to see people coming in already ill so I decided to switch into another field where I could get people before they got to that point. I became a certified personal trainer and began helping others reach their goals. As time passed, personal training became over-saturated and finding clients became more difficult. I moved into a more holistic approach and became familiar with herbalism, energy, movement and natural remedies. I can keep going and going on every single detail that has led me up to this but then you’ll be reading a novel of my life. I enjoy helping others find their path, whether it be healing, growth or directing and connecting them.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Scratch Therapy will continue to grow in popularity as more people become familiar with it in mainstream media. I believe it’ll become as common as massage. The Scratch Lounge has the potential to grow and I’m excited to see it expand into other locations in the future.
Contact Info:
- Website: The Scratch Lounge https://share.google/ORjI5iGmrn2Ym957h
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thescratchlounge?igsh=MTVlYmh2bnExN2ppZg==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1CCw7jbBFJ/
- Other: https://thescratchlounge.booksy.com/a/
