She was a woman who wore many hats. In 1972, Helen Brock, a local salon owner, teacher and Third Order Carmelite Secular was ready for something more.

Raised in a family with 14 children, seven of them hairstylists, Brock was well trained in the art of cosmetology, but also loved to dream beyond her successful hair salon in Old Roseville. She wanted to create a place where both women and men could get pampered on the outside and also rejuvenate their spirit within.

"My mom has always been a teacher, but no one has to learn more than the teacher," says son Derek Brock. "In 1972 she spent the summer in New York studying skin care. She was praying for a name for this new salon."

All it took was a quick look out her hotel window and Helen keyed in on a flashing Broadway sign.

"She said, 'Here I've been praying about it and the Lord was giving me my answer in neon,'" laughs Derek. "She said, 'I want to go with Brockway Hair Design.'"

The original Brockway salon offered skin care, manicures and pedicures to male and female customers.

"We were probably this area's first true spa," says Derek, who now oversees the nine Brockway salons located in the greater Sacramento area and Atrium Salon and Spa in Granite Bay. "Atrium is the recreation of the original Brockway. It was truly my mother's realized dream."

Fellow Carmelite and prayer partner Arleta Plantz, traveled with Helen throughout Europe and says you cannot forget the Roman experience.

"We visited with the Pope. It was awesome," remembers Plantz. "Helen was a prayer person. That was her heart."

Helen opened Atrium Salon and Spa in 1999 with a spa-scape reminiscent of a beautiful Roman courtyard.

Six years ago, Helen lost a battle with cancer. Her son Derek, now the company's chief executive officer, remains faithful to his mother's vision to keep Atrium a world-class retreat.

"We see a lot of people changing diets and exercising more," says Derek. "There is a different pace here. The name Atrium comes from a Mediterranean home and garden design."

Derek also makes education a priority. Today Atrium stylists, estheticians, and therapists get the chance to learn from the nation's top platform artists and spa educators in North America and Europe.

"We send stylists to New York and we also bring artists out here to do personal shows," says desk manager Beth Matson. "That really helps with the new treatments."

Esthetician Christan Laufer says a favorite package among guests is the Day Spa Retreat because it offers a one-hour relaxation massage, signature facial and a spa manicure and pedicure.

"A salt glow body treatment is really popular too," says Laufer. "It's great in the winter to scrub off dead skin cells and stimulate your senses."

Upon visiting Atrium Spa and Salon, visitors enter a decompression zone where they can snack and relax to prepare for a variety of treatments including wet services. Hydrotherapy treatments include underwater massage and aroma bath escapes in a 75-jet tub.

Derek also stocks every Redken hair color so Atrium stylists can "paint with every rainbow in the color wheel."

"The industry tells us the most common reason a client leaves her stylist is because they stop offering change," says Derek. "Each color line is coming out with something new all the time."

Pattie Fehr of Granite Bay has frequented Atrium for the last five years.

"I get facials and my hair done and I love the products they use," says Fehr. "I do like the architecture of the salon. It is very soothing and relaxing,"