By Gina Horan
New Beauty Spot Opens at Buffalo Ridge in The Villages
Renew Wellness Spa & Salon has opened a new location in the Buffalo Ridge Shopping Plaza, with a ribbon cutting and grand opening this month, adding another option for beauty and relaxation in The Villages. The full-service salon and spa sits across from The Villages Charter Middle School and just down the road from new retail staples like Costco and HomeGoods, placing it squarely in the flow of daily Village life.
For co-owners Tim and Dina Simpson, the new location represents both growth and community roots.
“It’s kind of a full circle moment,” Tim says. “Our kids went to school across the street, and we’ve lived in the area since 2009. We’re really connected to this community and love everything about it.”
Renew already operates two other spots, the main spa in Leesburg and a hair salon in Pinellas Plaza, but Buffalo Ridge marks their second location inside The Villages. Services include skincare, massage, full-body waxing and expert hair styling. They also have plans to add cryotherapy in the future. A retail section carries professional products so clients can take their spa routine home.
What makes The Villages unique, Tim says, is the scale and lifestyle of the residents.
“You’re talking about 150,000 full-time residents who really appreciate full-service,” he says. “They’re very active in their retired life, and they want to stay that way. From golf to softball to daily social events, people here make wellness part of their lifestyle.”
That demand, combined with the plaza’s high visibility on County Road 466, made Buffalo Ridge a natural fit. The Simpsons are also quick to point out the collaborative atmosphere of the plaza.
“It’s a great mix,” Tim says. “You have so much commercial business around here, and of course with Bonefish right next door, it’s the perfect community to serve.”
For Villagers, convenience is just as important as the services themselves. Buffalo Ridge is golf car accessible, and with a location that sits near schools, shopping and nearby apartments, the new salon and spa hopes to become a part of the growing neighborhood.
Photos: Gina Horan & provided
Gina moved to Central Florida in August 2021 from the San Francisco Bay Area. She has a degree in linguistics and worked as a fashion editor, photo stylist lifestyle columnist and food writer for the Knight Ridder Newspaper Group. She also covered and photographed music festivals, fashion shows and sports throughout Northern California. In 2000, she joined KSAN radio as a morning show co-host and produced the news and sports content there for four years. She later covered travel, events and the restaurant scene for KRON-Bay TV. A veteran bartender, Gina has worked in hospitality on and off since high school. She has been with Akers Media since 2022 and hosts the Healthy Living Central Florida podcast. Her passions include travel, road trips, baseball, history books and podcasts, tasting menus and arriving in a new city without a map or guidebook.
