Portland Salt Cellar

Overview

The Salt Cellar is a premier specialty retailer specializing in all-natural salts, gourmet finishing salts, Himalayan salt products, and luxurious spa items sourced from around the world, including the Dead Sea and Himalayas. While not a traditional sauna facility, it stands out with its innovative Salt Vault—a state-of-the-art halotherapy (salt therapy) room in Portland, ME, providing a dry salt aerosol experience akin to a therapeutic sauna for respiratory and skin wellness. The business combines retail stores, an e-commerce platform, and wellness services, emphasizing ancient wisdom blended with modern self-care rituals.

The overall atmosphere is serene, inviting, and health-focused, evoking a spa-like escape below street level in historic locations. Customers rave about the relaxing ambiance, knowledgeable staff, and transformative benefits like sinus relief, skin softening, and deep relaxation. Stores glow with pink Himalayan salt lamps, and the Salt Vault offers private, zero-gravity recliner sessions in a salt-misted environment, promoting drug-free relief from conditions like asthma, allergies, psoriasis, and eczema.

Features & Amenities

• Salt Vault (Portland, ME): Air-tight room with advanced halogenerator dispersing precisely sized, antimicrobial dry salt particles for optimal penetration into sinuses and lungs; zero-gravity chairs for ultimate comfort; optional eucalyptus infusion; private sessions for individuals or groups.
• Retail Stores: Flagship locations with hands-on sampling of over 100 gourmet salts (e.g., alderwood smoked, black truffle, Hawaiian black lava); Himalayan salt blocks, lamps, and hearts for cooking, lighting, and personal care.
• Spa Areas & Products: Dead Sea mineral-infused scrubs, body butters (vanilla, lemon, mango, kiwi, lavender), hand creams, shampoos, soaps, and day creams; bath soaks and shave creams for at-home spa experiences.
• Online Shop: Free shipping on orders $99+; gift cards ($10–$100); finishing salt trios (e.g., Spicy Hot Set, Magical Mushrooms); care guides for Himalayan products.
• Additional Amenities: In-store sampling, custom phone orders, rewards program, wishlists; Salt Mill workshop in Greenland, NH, for hand-selecting and crafting products.

Services

• Halotherapy Sessions: 50-minute Salt Vault treatments (sessions start hourly); book online or call 207-761-2122; ideal for respiratory health, skin conditions, or relaxation.
• Product Retail: Wide selection of culinary salts, spa/body care, kitchenware (salt blocks, lamps); seasonal promotions (e.g., buy 2 Dead Sea products, get 1 free).
• Gifting & Custom: Gift cards, shared wishlists, phone orders for in-store exclusives (603-373-0064, Mon-Fri 9AM-5PM).
• Educational Resources: Blog on salt benefits (e.g., dry brining, Himalayan health perks, salt scrubs for summer); care guides for salt tableware, lamps, and hearts.
• Charitable Initiatives: Saturday’s Child Giving Program supports organizations like Autism Society; past drives raised $4,620 for Ukraine relief via UNICEF.

Pricing

• Salt Vault Sessions: Pricing not explicitly listed online; appointments booked via Square (50-minute slots, be punctual as late arrivals deduct from time).
• Spa & Salt Products:
  • Hand creams: $15.95–$39.95 (e.g., Dead Sea Hand Cream $29.95, Travel 3-Pack $39.95 on sale).
  • Body butters/scrubs: $39.95 each (e.g., Lavender Dead Sea Salt Scrub, Vanilla Body Butter).
  • Gourmet salts: From $9.95 (e.g., Alderwood Smoked) to $17.95+ (Black Truffle).
  • Salt trios/sets: $25–$45 (many on sale, e.g., Spicy Hot Set $25 from $28.50).
  • Day cream: $49; Gift cards: $10–$100.
• Promotions: Frequent sales (e.g., Hand Cream Combo $39.95 from $44); free shipping $99+.

Location & Hours

• Salt Vault & Portland Store: 172 Middle St., Portland, ME 04101 (207-761-2122). Sun–Fri: 10AM–6PM; Sat: 10AM–8PM. Parking: Temple Street Garage or 2-hour metered street.
• Portsmouth Flagship (NH): 7 Commercial Alley, Portsmouth, NH 03801 (603-766-1616). Mon–Fri: 11AM–5PM; Sat: 10AM–6PM; Sun: 11AM–5PM.
• Other Mentions: Newburyport (details via stores page); online nationwide shipping.

Notes

What makes The Salt Cellar special:

• Unique Halotherapy Focus: Salt Vault brings European salt cave traditions to New England with cutting-edge tech for even salt mist distribution—perfect for pollution/allergy relief or pure relaxation (5-star reviews highlight sinus relief and staff expertise).
• Premium, Hand-Selected Products: 96% sodium chloride Himalayan salt with 84 trace minerals; paraben-free Dead Sea spa line; no high-heat cooking recommended for blocks to preserve integrity.
• Media Acclaim: Featured in NY Times, The Atlantic podcast, Portsmouth Herald, NH Chronicle (WMUR-TV), and more—called “a store like no other.”
• Customer Loyalty: Raves for psoriasis relie…