Australian Heritage, Premium Relaxation

My name is Alex Stamos, and I’m the managing director of Feel Good Massage Chairs. My story is one of hard work, resilience, and a relentless pursuit of a vision that many doubted—including my own father.

Growing up in a family of seven, I left school in the tenth-year to help my father in the fruit markets. From the age of 17, I worked tirelessly—lifting heavy boxes, unloading trucks by hand, and pushing my body to its limits. Over time, the physical toll led to serious injuries, including bludgeoned discs in my lower back. The pain was unbearable, and I was desperate for relief.

I tried everything—massages, chiropractors, anything that might ease the pain. But massages were expensive, and getting appointments were always challenging. The days I couldn’t get in to see a masseuse were agonizing, and I knew I needed a better solution.

I was in Sydney, visiting Darling Harbour, when I stumbled upon something that would change my life forever: a vending massage chair. For just two dollars, I experienced a fleeting moment of relief. It was the best money I had ever spent. The next day, I returned to that chair, eager to feel that sweet relief again. That was when the idea sparked—why couldn’t this be available to everyone, whenever they needed it? This is where Feel Good Massage Chairs came to life!

I began researching massage chairs, discovering that they were virtually unknown in Australia. There was just that one chair in Sydney. Determined to bring this relief to others, I called the number on the chair and connected with a man in Taiwan who was looking for someone to introduce these chairs to Australia.

After long discussions, I decided to take the plunge. In 1996, I imported a container of vending massage chairs to Melbourne. Soon after, I secured contracts with Westfield shopping centers and placed the chairs in Southland and Doncaster shopping centers in Melbourne. When I told my father and friends, they laughed. To them, it was a joke, a ridiculous idea that would never take off. But I was determined. People loved the chairs, and soon, I started getting calls from customers asking if they could buy them for their homes.

That’s when I realised I could take massage chairs to the next level. With my manager, I flew to Japan to test the Fujitsu and Inada massage chairs, then traveled to Taiwan where the vending chairs were made. I selected a variety of massage chairs to bring back to Adelaide, determined to provide Australians with the relief they needed.

In 1997, I opened my first retail shop on King Street in West Melbourne. But awareness was low, and business was tough. People didn’t know what massage chairs were, so I invested heavily in advertising. It wasn’t until I began doing exhibitions that things began to change. By getting people to sit in the chairs and experience them firsthand, I was able to educate them and show them the benefits.

Today, 27 years later, Feel Good Massage Chairs is a thriving business. We have over 500 vending locations across Australia, including shopping centers, corporate offices, and airports. The company I started out of a personal need for relief is now helping countless Australians find theirs. For over 27 years, I have researched and found the best quality massage chairs, from 2D all the way to 4D, and have built Feel Good to offer the best warranty, delivery options, and the best customer service you will ever come across.

As the managing director and CEO, I’m still passionate about bringing comfort and health to our communities. Feel Good Massage Chairs remains a family-owned business, committed to providing ultimate service. We were the first in Australia to introduce massage chairs, to educate the public, and to lead the way. Others may have followed, but we were the pioneers—and we’re still here, helping Australians feel good every day.