What started out as a seemingly unattainable dream and inside joke between friends has become a reality for Anna Tremblay and Ashley Cluett, creators of Nature Folk Wellness Studio (88 Portland Street).

After meeting as servers at a restaurant, the two bonded over a shared passion for wellness, design and an interest in entrepreneurship. It was only after the complementary nature of their skill-sets—Cluett has a background in nutrition, marketing and holistic modality, while Tremblay has experience in graphic design—that their ideas blossomed into Nature Folk.

"We wanted a space where people can come, relax and meet other people who might be experiencing the same or similar struggles," says Cluett, "Nature Folk is designed so that when people walk in, they feel like they're home. We want self care to seem achievable, not intimidating, and everything here is designed to be easily customizable so that any individual can get the wellness experience that they need."

Nature Folk seeks to invoke a sense of community in its space, welcoming and encouraging practitioners and individuals alike on their path to well-being.

"With wellness, there isn't just one thing that is perfect for everybody. It is very dependent on that person, their mindset, what their body needs, and what feels right for them," says Tremblay, "We want Nature Folk to be a hub for a community who is passionate about wellness and curious about finding what care works for them".

Nordic-inspired, the studio was created as a fluid, functional space where people are free to come in, participate in workshops, get a massage or hang out. Nature Folk also offers a range of spa services, from the two-person infrared sauna to an in-house doula, a massage therapist and even Thursday Pilates classes. On top of that, it carries skincare products that are minimalistic, multi-purpose, sustainably and ethically sourced, and are run—and owned—by women.

"Nature Folk is our name because we are a group of like-minded people that engage with, care about and find peace in nature," says Cluett, "It is through this that we want people to have a deeper connection with themselves, a deeper connection with their environment, and a deeper connection with their community".