1851

Multi-unit, multi-brand franchise owner Eric Danver has come a long way since he got into the franchise industry at 25 years old.Danver first entered the franchising world after getting a job as an assistant manager of a Domino’s Pizza in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey. After quickly being promoted to Corporate Operations Director, Danver had an opportunity to leave the company in order to pursue a different side of the pizza industry—developing and operating a Papa John’s Pizza franchise in New Jersey.&nbsp;Thanks to putting in years of hard work and hustle, Danver was able to develop and operate a total of 53 Papa John’s locations through Delaware, Philadelphia and New Jersey. Danver’s Papa John’s franchise company—PJPA, LLC—was even awarded Papa John’s National Large Franchisee of the Year Award, a recognition given to a Papa John’s franchisee with 11 or more locations for exemplifying Papa John’s commitment to serving a superior-quality pizza, world-class customer service and outstanding community involvement.&nbsp;After eventually decreasing his number of Papa John’s franchises from 53 to 18, Danver decided it was time to diversify his portfolio and delve into another industry. Danver was introduced to Hand &amp; Stone Massage and Facial Spa after visiting the brand’s Marlton, New Jersey location. “I was given an introductory customer offer from Hand &amp; Stone to visit a location and try out their services,” he said. “After visiting and conducting some research on the brand, I was intrigued and wanted to speak with other members and entrepreneurs who had invested. After much due diligence, I met with the Hand &amp; Stone team and was very impressed with their leadership team—I convinced my partners to invest.”&nbsp;Regarding the specific aspects of <a href="https://handandstonefranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=from-papa-johns-pizza-to-hand-stone-massage-and-facial-spa-how-eric-danver-became-a-successful-multi-unit-franchisee-with-two-national-brands-2712675" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Hand &amp; Stone</a> that captured his attention, Danver noted that he was extremely impressed with the consumer offering, the leadership team and the opportunities available to employees.“My partners and I were very impressed by the Hand &amp; Stone concept and equally impressed by the leadership team,” he said. “We then set out to learn more about the industry and study the competition. It quickly became clear that Hand &amp; Stone was going to be the big winner in the national massage and facial spa industry. There were a lot of variables that went into making the decision to invest, but the biggest variable was the quality of the guest experience along with the value of services.”“We realized that a lot of other competitors’ customer experience felt almost clinical, whereas Hand &amp; Stone felt like a high-end spa with a great value approach,” Danver added.&nbsp;In addition, Danver also took into consideration the opportunities <a href="https://1851franchise.com/handandstone">Hand &amp; Stone</a> provides to its employees to further their education. “Throughout my career, my mission has always been to promote within our organization, because the biggest blessing in my life was someone giving me an opportunity to prove I can accomplish anything,” Danver said. “I want to provide each and every one of my staff members with those same kinds of opportunities, and the Hand &amp; Stone accreditation program that provides credit hours to its estheticians and massage therapists would allow me to pay it forward to my team.”&nbsp;In October of 2014, Danver, with the help of two of his daughters, Danielle and Katie, opened their very first Hand &amp; Stone franchise in Chantilly, Virginia. Fast-forward six years later and Danver is the brand’s largest franchisee after opening his 15th location in November 2019 in Newark, Delaware.&nbsp;&nbsp;Since the beginning of his journey with Hand &amp; Stone, Danver’s family has been involved in the day-to-day operations; his daughter Katie oversees six Hand &amp; Stone spas in Pennsylvania and Delaware and his son Zach is a store manager.&nbsp;Hand &amp; Stone’s Director of Franchise Development Nicole Alburger praises Danver and his achievements with the brand. “When we first met Eric Danver we knew he was going to bring something special to the Hand &amp; Stone brand,” Alburger said. “He has accomplished so many great things with Papa John’s that we were confident he was going to accomplish great things for our brand, too. Eric exemplifies everything we want in a multi-unit franchisee and we are proud to be working with him.”&nbsp;Hand &amp; Stone is a nearly 500-unit spa franchise with a mission to bring massage and facial services to the masses. Launched in 2004 by passionate physical therapist John Marco and now led by franchise veteran Todd Leff, Hand &amp; Stone now has locations in 30 states and Canada. The brand is actively looking for franchisees in markets across the country, including Las Vegas, Nevada; New Orleans, Louisiana; Buffalo, New York and Albuquerque, New Mexico. For more information on Hand &amp; Stone’s franchising opportunities, visit <a href="https://handandstonefranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=from-papa-johns-pizza-to-hand-stone-massage-and-facial-spa-how-eric-danver-became-a-successful-multi-unit-franchisee-with-two-national-brands-2712675" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://handandstonefranchise.com</a>.

From Papa John’s Pizza to Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa: How Eric Danver Became A Successful Multi-Unit Franchisee with Two National Brands

1851 Franchise

Danver owns and operates 18 Papa John’s Pizza stores and 15 Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spas along the east coast. 


This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

from-papa-johns-pizza-to-hand-stone-massage-and-facial-spa-how-eric-danver-became-a-successful-multi-unit-franchisee-with-two-national-brands

Shuckin' Shack

Shuckin’ Shack’s 4th Annual Fresh & Raw Tour Raises Over $72,000 for Blood Cancer United

shuckin-shack-fresh-raw-tour-raises-300k-blood-cancer

Mellow Mushroom

Mellow Mushroom Atmosphere: How Design and Local Vibe Drive $3.8M AUV - 1851 Franchise

Mellow Mushroom Franchise Growth: How Art-Driven Design and Local Atmosphere Help Drive $3.8M AUV in Top Locations

mellow-mushroom-atmosphere-top-quartile-auv

Biscuit Belly Franchising

Biscuit Belly Franchise - End of Year Wrap-Up - 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Biscuit Belly Finishes 2025 Strong and Looks Ahead to a 20-Unit Footprint in 2026

biscuit-belly-20-unit-growth-2026

Wild Bill's Craft Beverage Company

Wild Bill's Soda, Wild Bill's Craft Beverages

Wild Bill’s Caps a Transformational 2025 With Market Expansion, Product Innovation and Franchise Momentum

wild-bills-craft-beverage-2025-wrap-2026-franchise-growth

Express Employment Professionals

Express Employment Professionals - End of Year Wrap 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Express Employment Professionals Celebrates a Year of Growth, Adding 38 New Owners to Its System 

express-employment-professionals-franchise-eoy-2025

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

McDonald’s Faces Lawsuit Alleging McRib Contains No Actual Rib Meat

mcdonalds-faces-lawsuit-alleging-mcrib-contains-no-actual-rib-meat

Hardee's Franchise - ARC Burger Lawsuit - 1851 Franchise

Hardee’s Lawsuit Targets Franchisee as 77 Restaurants Prepare to Shut Down

hardees-franchise-closures-arc-burger-lawsuit

Domino's Franchise - North Pole - Dec 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Domino’s Pizza Brings Delivery Cheer to North Pole, Alaska

dominos-pizza-franchise-north-pole-alaska

California Pizza Kitchen’s Sale Is the Latest in the Era of PE-Backed Turnarounds in Franchising

california-pizza-kitchens-sale-is-the-latest-in-the-era-of-pe-backed-turnarounds-in-franchising

Buying a fitness franchise, people exercising

Boutique vs. Big Box Gym Franchises: Which Offers Best ROI in the $7 Billion Fitness Market?

buy-fitness-franchise-boutique-big-box-comparison

1851 Franchisee Spotlight graphic with photo of Eli Cohen, Layne's Chicken Fingers logo

C5 Restaurants Grows its Texas Footprint with 40 Layne’s Chicken Fingers Locations Planned Statewide

eli-cohen-laynes-chicken-fingers-texas

image of stephen westerman and matthew westerman, owners Fort Walton Beach Two men and a junk truck

Twin Brothers Move From Managers to Owners with New TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK Franchise on the Gulf Coast

twin-brothers-two-men-and-a-junk-truck-fort-walton-beach

image of fernando Degwitz from tru blu franchise franchisee owner of Pinecrest, Brickell

Civil Engineer and MBA Grad Fernando Degwitz Combines Business and Community Impact With TruBlue Franchise

trublue-franchisee-fernando-degwitz-miami

Image of Craig Lutz Hall County   Tru Blu Franchisee

The Ballot Box or the Toolbox? Craig Lutz Puts the ‘Service’ in TruBlue Home Service Ally

craig-lutz-trublue-home-service-ally-franchise-interview

Do You Qualify? A Look at the Chick-fil-A Franchise Requirements

do-you-qualify-a-look-at-the-chick-fil-a-franchise-requirements

The Top 15 Pet Supplies and Retail Franchises for 2025

The Top 15 Pet Supplies and Retail Franchises for 2026

the-top-15-pet-supplies-and-retail-franchises

Scenthound Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

scenthound-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

Ellianos Coffee Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

ellianos-coffee-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

Christmas Decor Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

christmas-decor-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

Sparkle Dog Care Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

From Papa John’s Pizza to Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa: How Eric Danver Became A Successful Multi-Unit Franchisee with Two National Brands

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS