By Janet Wight
Crocus Hill Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine in Falcon Heights is owned by Highland Park residents Matt and Jessica French.
The clinic, on 1579 Hamline Ave., offers acupuncture and herbal medicine, reiki, massage and other holistic treatments.
Everyone is welcome to attend the clinic’s first Friday of the month get-togethers at 7 p.m. (held September through May), which offer music, snacks and a place for the community to gather. For additional information visit crocushillacupuncture.com.
The clinic was originally located at Grand Avenue and Oxford Street in St. Paul. It had several owners before Matt and Jessica purchased the business in December 2019, just prior to the pandemic, Matt said.
Jessica had been working at the clinic for the previous owners when she realized it might be for sale. Buying an existing acupuncture clinic was preferable to starting from scratch in her mind, since it already had established contracts with some of the larger insurance companies.
Word of mouth led the Frenches to the current location in April 2023. One of the clinic’s practitioners had been a patient at Peterson Dental, the former tenant. Dr. Peterson was planning to move out of the space so the timing was ideal, Matt added.
Jessica designed the brightly lit space using a neutral color palette accented with pops of color and comfortable seating to create a welcoming atmosphere.
Many patients seek acupuncture to relieve back or joint pain or headaches. Usually, they have already tried other treatments (surgery, cortisone, medication) and they are looking for something different to help them, Matt said.
Fertility programs—which combine acupuncture, massage and herbal medicine—are a popular offering at the clinic. Other patients try acupuncture treatments to assist with smoking cessation or depression, he added.
Acupuncture may be used to treat a wide variety of conditions, including any concern that would cause a patient to visit a provider practicing conventional medicine, Matt explained.
The clinic is an in-network acupuncture provider for several insurance carriers including Cigna, HealthPartners, UnitedHealthcare, United Medical Resources and the VA. A majority of the clinic’s patients use insurance, and the percentage continues to increase as more people realize that acupuncture is a covered service.
For out-of-network patients or those who have not met their deductible, the cost for an initial acupuncture visit is $130. Subsequent visits are $90.
Reiki is another type of treatment offered at the clinic. This Japanese technique uses gentle touch from a trained practitioner and aims to reduce stress and promote healing. The price is $75 for 45 minutes or $90 for 60 minutes.
Massage, either therapeutic or relaxation, is also offered, with rates starting at $50 (for a 30-minute session) and ranging up to $140 (for 90 minutes). Massage memberships are also available.
Both of Crocus Hill’s current owners had previous careers prior to studying acupuncture. Jessica was a graphic designer. Matt had been a full-time musician as well as an analyst for a financial planning firm.
The couple has been married for 16 years. They are raising two children: daughter Everly, 3, and son Evren, seven months.
Matt said his favorite thing about being a business owner is building something that serves the community and provides an enjoyable experience for employees and patients. He has also embraced learning the business of running a clinic in conjunction with his role as an acupuncturist, Matt said.
Janet Wight is a regular freelance writer for the Bugle.
