“When the city got wind of what we were doing, they said, ‘you’re going to be Vancouver’s best kept secret,’” says Sophie Wegecsanyi, co-owner of Wattle Tree Place.
Wattle Tree Place combines a family-friendly café, holistic healing center and event space. Owned by two sisters from Melbourne, Wattle Tree Place gets its name from the national flower of Australia, which is used by aboriginal people for healing.
“The name Wattle Tree Place symbolizes the work we do here and the Australian hospitality we’re bringing to Vancouver,” explains Wegecsanyi. “Our aim is to nurture and nourish every person who walks through the door; from the food we serve to the workshops we facilitate, we want every person to feel fulfilled and part of a community.”
With the help of family, sisters Anna Phillips and Wegecsanyi renovated an older home in downtown Vancouver and transformed it into a comfortable space for parents to relax and socialize while their children play. The backyard includes a fairy garden, climbing log stack and two sandboxes. Wattle Tree Place also offers indoor activities for children throughout the week, including an afterschool book and craft club.
For those who aren’t keen to interact with children, the front porch is a child-free space. Wattle Tree Place also hosts an adults-only craft night on Sundays. For a complete event calendar at Wattle Tree Place, click here.
Wattle Tree Place also offers:
- Weekly guided meditation
- A twice-monthly reiki circle
- Learning how to read tarot cards (monthly)
- Using crystals for healing (monthly)
“We’re on the ‘woo woo’ side of things,” explains Wegecsanyi, a reiki master. “We want to meet people who aren’t feeling fulfilled and want to explore the metaphysical. That’s why we have Wellness Wednesday. All our practitioners offer 15-minute treatments for $20. If the experience resonates with you, then you can book a full hour.”
Wattle Tree Place is also a small business incubator. “Many of our practitioners are parents, and Wattle Tree Place is a space where they can build their personal businesses while having their children close by,” says co-owner Phillips.
Connect with Wattle Tree Place on Facebook to find out about seasonal and ongoing events. Wattle Tree will soon serve beer and cider, in addition to wine, and plans to add both a Pagan 101 workshop/coffee meet-up and an open mic night.
Wattle Tree Place is located at 306 E 16th Street in Vancouver. They are open seven days a week for wellness treatments, breakfast and lunch. There is a parking lot across from the house, in addition to free hourly parking on C Street.
