Irvine's shopping centers are increasingly becoming focal points for health and wellness, with multiple businesses in the sector choosing to co-locate. This trend highlights a local demand for services ranging from traditional healing practices to modern fitness studios.
Eternal Spring Palace, which opened in August at Culver Plaza, exemplifies this development. The day spa integrates traditional Chinese wellness techniques with contemporary skin care. Clients receive facial massages that incorporate botanical rose essential oil, lifting methods, and topical serums, all following back relaxation. Eva Wang, the brand and operations director for Eternal Spring Palace and an Irvine resident, states that their massage techniques are based in traditional Chinese medicine and the Five Elements. These methods aim to clear blockages along the body’s meridian pathways, enhancing the circulation of qi and blood to restore bodily balance. Wang notes that Culver Plaza was a fitting location due to its central position and Irvine’s community, which she describes as active and health-oriented. She observed that people who choose to reside in Irvine prioritize their quality of life, focusing on their well-being and maintaining health.
This concentration of wellness-focused businesses extends beyond Culver Plaza. At least five retail centers in Irvine now feature three or more such tenants, with more planned for the future. For example, Seven Falls Spa & Massage is scheduled to open soon at Quail Hill Shopping Center, joining existing neighborhood businesses like Pure Barre and Perspire Sauna Studio. Even businesses not directly focused on health find advantages in this proximity. Marco Cimmino, owner of Sole Toscano cafe at Crossroads mall, mentioned enjoying the synergies with clients from LA Fitness, which operates nearby.
Irvine's reputation as a healthy city supports this growth. The American College of Sports Medicine’s 2026 American Fitness Index ranked Irvine as the fittest city in Southern California and seventh nationwide, a standing bolstered by its extensive parklands and sports fields. Additionally, a WalletHub study identified Irvine as the least-stressed city in Southern California, securing the second spot nationally for health and safety. This health-conscious environment has enabled boutique studios to cultivate dedicated client bases.
Jessi Midstokke, founder of Co-Op Pilates at Harvard Place Shopping Center, strategically chose her storefront to benefit from daily foot traffic, building a membership of over 200 individuals alongside Body Fit Training Irvine. Midstokke noted a personal connection with nearly every person who attends her classes. At Woodbridge Village Center, Monie Adamson, owner of Focus Dance Studio, highlighted the opportunity to provide specific health benefits for children and teens, suggesting these activities can lead to more than just physical advantages. Adamson observed that Irvine encompasses many different ways of life and that parents, while focused on certain types of support for their children, often broaden their children’s activities and personal growth once they learn about the studio’s offerings.
For business operators like Wang, Irvine’s emphasis on personal wellness makes neighborhood centers an ideal setting. She describes the city as one where, “It’s safe, it’s pretty and it’s peaceful.” This environment, coupled with the community's commitment to a healthy lifestyle, continues to attract and support a diverse array of wellness-oriented enterprises across the city's commercial areas.