When clients step into Eternal Spring Palace at Culver Plaza, they are greeted by marble counters, gold fixtures and private treatment suites with soft lighting and low music.
The day spa, which opened in August, combines traditional Chinese wellness techniques with modern skin care. Every facial begins with back relaxation before moving into 20 to 30 minutes of facial massage using botanical rose essential oil, lifting techniques and topical serums.
“Our massage techniques are rooted in traditional Chinese medicine and the Five Elements,” says Eva Wang, brand and operations director of Eternal Spring Palace. “They help release blockages along the body’s meridian pathways and improve the flow of qi and blood, bringing the body back into balance.”
Wang, an Irvine resident like most of her staff, says Culver Plaza was a natural fit because of its central location and the city’s active, health-oriented community.
“People who choose to live in Irvine value their quality of life,” Wang says. “They care about their well-being and always want to stay healthy.”
Wellness synchronicity
Eternal Spring Palace is part of a broader trend across Irvine’s shopping centers, where health, fitness and wellness businesses are increasingly clustered together. At least five centers in the city now house three or more wellness-focused tenants. More are on the way, including Seven Falls Spa & Massage, which is scheduled to open soon at Quail Hill Shopping Center alongside neighborhood spots like Pure Barre and Perspire Sauna Studio.
Even businesses that might not seem specifically health focused find positive outcomes in the proximity with wellness options. “Crossroads is a busy mall, and we particularly enjoy the synergies with the LA Fitness clients,” says Sole Toscano cafe owner Marco Cimmino.
Irvine ranks as the fittest city in Southern California and seventh in the nation, according to the American College of Sports Medicine’s 2026 American Fitness Index, bolstered by extensive parklands and sports fields. A WalletHub study also named Irvine the least-stressed city in Southern California, placing second nationally for health and safety.
That health-conscious environment has helped boutique studios build loyal followings. At Harvard Place Shopping Center, Co-Op Pilates founder Jessi Midstokke chose her storefront to tap into daily foot traffic, building a base of more than 200 members alongside neighboring Body Fit Training Irvine.
“I know almost every single person who walks into class by name, and they know me, my daughter and my husband,” Midstokke says.
A solid home base
Monie Adamson, owner of Focus Dance Studio at Woodbridge Village Center, appreciates the opportunity to offer a specific health benefit for children and teens, which might lead to more than physical benefits.
“Irvine has so many different walks of life,” Adamson says. “Sometimes parents might get focused on helping kids in one way, but once they hear about what we have to offer, it allows them to expand and broaden their children’s activities and their growth as a person.”
For operators like Wang, the city’s focus on personal wellness makes neighborhood centers an ideal home base.
“It’s safe, it’s pretty and it’s peaceful,” Wang says.
“People who choose to live in Irvine value their quality of life. They care about their well‑being and always want to stay healthy.”
Eva Wang, operations director for Eternal Spring Palace
