LOWER MACUNGIE TWP., Pa. – From serving in the Marines to opening his own wellness center, Brandon Hess said it is something he has dreamed of.
“I just went for it and put everything in,” said Hess.
Hess is the owner of Vitalize Wellness Lounge on Mill Creek Road in Lower Macungie Township, offering everything from cold plunges to red-light compression.
“Being a Marine, my body was very physically beat up. My mental state was all over the place as well, and I had access to saunas and cold plunges and red-light compression. They always helped me feel better and recover physically and mentally, so I’m very much a firm believer in it,” said Hess.
The Marine veteran said that health and wellness have always been important to him. It is a passion he is sharing.
“I feel like a lot of people don’t prioritize it enough, and everything we have here is great, scientifically backed research to prove that it’s great for your health and wellness and potential longevity of your life,” said Hess.
After serving four years as an active-duty combat engineer, the Kutztown-area native has opened a place he can call his own not far from home.
“So, I figured having it in the Lehigh Valley, being the only wellness center with this particular business model, I thought it was a good opportunity to tap into this market, and this stuff is becoming more and more popular,” said Hess.
It is a business, he said; lessons from his time in the Marines helped him build.
“It’s definitely a grind, but it’s very rewarding just to have something that you built, but to see it all come to form,” said Hess.