Stretch Studio on the Upper East Side: Stretch*d on Third

Stretch*d Upper East Side sits at 1357 Third Avenue, just north of Lenox Hill and a block and a half from the 77 St station on the 6, and it is open seven days a week with walk-ins welcome. Anyone typing stretch studio near me between Lexington and York can book a first 55-minute assisted stretch for $79, down from a regular $149, which includes a consultation, a body assessment and one free recovery add-on.

The studio pitches itself as the residential sibling of the Flatiron location: a light and airy room in a laid-back stretch of Third Avenue, lined with shops, galleries and cafes, and far enough from Midtown that you do not walk out into a crowd. It is one of only three Stretch*d studios anywhere, alongside 27 W 20th Street downtown and a studio in Encinitas, California.

Stretch*d has been around since 2018 and was started by Amanda Freeman, who earlier built the SLT megaformer studios, according to Galavante; the same profile says the brand was acquired in 2023 by Good Feet Holdings. The hands-on method predates the company. Co-founder Jeff Brannigan, now director of training, developed it in 2014 while he was a graduate student in Washington, D.C., and he still trains every new hire.

The local crowd shapes the bookings. The Upper East Side studio markets itself to all-day desk-sitters, busy parents, retirees and self-care regulars as much as to athletes, and its own page describes the location as only four blocks from Central Park, which is why so many clients pair a session with a run or a walk in the park. The space is open seven days a week, so a Saturday or Sunday session is easy to fit around brunch.

The core service is the Stretch: you lie clothed on a table while your Stretch*r moves you through dynamic, pain-free stretches tailored to what you described at intake. NYC singles are $89 for 25 minutes and $149 for 50 minutes, three-packs are $199 and $389, and six-packs are $389 and $709. Sessions start at 25 minutes, short enough for a neck-and-shoulders reset before a meeting.

The longer option is the Stretch*ssage, a 75-minute blend of assisted stretching and massage techniques aimed at stubborn knots and soreness, for $259. It is the right pick if you have one area, like a lower back that seizes after long drives, that needs both pressure and length. Add-ons are $10 each: Hypervolt percussion therapy, arnica cooling gel, Normatec compression boots for tired legs, or a BodyRoller.

Face*ssage is the studio's facial and upper-body release for the jaw, neck and shoulders, with a first session at $99. An honest call: book it for jaw tension, not for contouring. Galavante's reviewer tried the face service, called it lovely and relaxing, scored the visit 7 out of 10, and said it did little for puffiness, while saying she would come back for a stretch.

Stretch*d's therapists are trained and certified in the Stretch*d Method and come from physical therapy, exercise science, massage, personal training, dance and yoga. The NYC roster includes Avery G., an actor, dancer and certified barre instructor who came to the work through her own injuries and physical therapy, and Carlos, who holds a bachelor's degree in exercise science, plays basketball and is on track to go into physical therapy.

For the face menu, the Sculpt*rs are licensed estheticians and massage therapists. Alli has been an esthetician since 2011 and has worked with microneedling, EMS and facial massage; she is also a certified holistic health coach. The full NYC team page lists more than a dozen Stretch*rs and Sculpt*rs, many of them working dancers, so reading the bios before you book is a fast way to find someone who matches your sport or injury history.

Tell the therapist your goal in one sentence before you start, for example looser hamstrings for a half marathon or a neck that does not lock at the desk. The session is personalized from that intake, and the aftercare tips you take home, a few mini stretches to do between visits, are only as useful as what you shared.

Upper East Side memberships mirror downtown: Core at $119 a month for 50 minutes of services, Flex at $219 for 100 minutes with unlimited recovery equipment and 20 percent off retail, and Transform at $399 for 200 minutes with priority booking. Minutes roll over for up to three months, Flex and Transform minutes can be shared with family, and there is no long contract; you can pause or cancel with 10 days' notice.

Reschedule or cancel up to 24 hours before a session for a full refund. The $79 and $99 intro offers are marked as being for local residents only, so a tourist staying in Midtown should expect regular pricing.

Wear clothes you can move in, since you stay dressed on the table. If you want a more sculpting face service, the studio also offers the Buccal Technique, an internal massage that works the muscles inside the cheeks to relieve tension and promote lymphatic drainage, and a separate lymphatic drainage massage; both sit on the same NYC menu as the stretch, so one visit can cover body and jaw.

The closest subway is the 6 at 77 St, roughly 170 meters away; note that the MTA does not list that station as accessible. The Q at 72 St on Second Avenue is about a ten-minute walk and is fully accessible, which makes it the better choice for anyone avoiding stairs. Crosstown buses on 79th Street and 72nd Street run toward the park.

Plan B: if Third Avenue is full, the Flatiron studio at 27 W 20th Street keeps the same prices and runs 8 AM to 8 PM every day, and it can be reached on the 6 down to 23 St with a short walk west.

Afterward, walk west along 77th Street, past the townhouses between Park and Fifth, to Central Park, then north on Fifth Avenue to The Metropolitan Museum of Art at 82nd Street. A loosened back makes the Met's long galleries easier on the feet. Ask Karpo in the Karpo APP for a quiet cafe on Lexington Avenue if you would rather sit than sightsee.