Parks Of Calgary celebrates the diverse people, parks, places and partners that make our city unique through community and collaboration. Let us introduce you to one of your neighbours.
Spending time outdoors offers countless benefits, from boosting our mood with fresh air and natural light, to improving our physical health through active engagement with nature. Yet in our fast-paced world, the concept of self-care often gets dismissed as a luxury rather than a necessity. So while outdoor activities rejuvenate our bodies and minds, our holistic wellbeing requires a balance of experiences and environments.
Embracing self-care isn’t simply about improving our own personal wellbeing, but the ripple effect it creates. When we prioritize our mental, emotional and physical health, we’re better equipped to support our partners, nurture our families, and positively contribute to our workplaces. By putting ourselves first, we’re able to foster healthier relationships, form stronger communities, and make the world a better place.
We recently chatted with Evi Pupuleku, a local community member and business owner, who immigrated to Canada with an entrepreneurial dream to help people look and feel their best. This is how she fosters community and helps Calgarians prioritize wellness right here in the city on a daily basis.
How Evi Became A Small Business Owner (Twice)
As a teenager born and raised in Albania, Evi loved everything about hair, and how incredible a new ‘do could make someone feel. She followed her passion to become a trained hair stylist in 1997, studying and apprenticing at hair academies all over Europe. She finally opened her own salon in 1998, and loved the freedom of owning her own business, but she wanted to build a better life for her family. So Evi crossed the Atlantic and moved to Calgary, Alberta in 2012.
When Evi moved to Canada, she wanted to continue helping people in the self-care service industry, but no salon compared to the one she’d created back in Albania. “Everything felt so rushed here. Just cut the hair, and move on to the next client,” said Evi. Haircuts seemed to be very transactional, whereas Evi wanted to create a calming experience for her clients, one where they could unwind, relax and escape their daily stressors, even if for just a few hours. Because by taking care of ourselves first, we can inspire those around us to do the same. So Evi set out with one goal in mind from the very beginning: to provide a high-end but reasonably priced luxurious spa experience, where every client is pampered and leaves feeling better than they did when they came in.
The Ultimate Self-Care Experience In Marda Loop
In 2021, Evi brought her vision to life again when she opened her own salon in Marda Loop. Wisp Boutique Salon & Aesthetics is a full-service salon and spa offering a wide range of hair and beauty services to help you look and feel your best. “After working in the self-care service industry for decades, I can tell you that taking care of yourself doesn’t just positively affect your own life, but everyone and everything around you,” Evi said.
Many of Evi’s clients are from the communities surrounding Marda Loop, but many also drive from all corners of the city, due to the unique business she’s built. Evi proudly hires talented local hair stylists and medically trained estheticians so her clients receive the best care, and her employees get to work their dream jobs. They use natural, organic and Canadian products whenever possible, to support local and do their part in taking care of the environment. Evi combines high-end services with personal wellbeing, wrapped in a caring community of clients and employees to create this neighbourhood mainstay.
Find more local businesses like this on Partner Plaza.
Plan Your Next Self-Care + Adventure Combo Date In Calgary
So the next you’re out and about in the city, plan yourself an adventure + self-care date! Evi and her family have explored Calgary and traveled all over the country ever since they arrived in Canada. Just as nature provides a retreat from daily stress, spas and salons can offer a sanctuary to relax, rejuvenate and practice self-care in a different, yet equally vital, way.
Allow yourself the chance to unwind, pamper your body, and engage in a form of care that complements the revitalizing effects of the great outdoors. Perhaps you book a salon or spa service at Wisp (using our Parks of Calgary discount code), and then you…
- Explore Currie Barracks and throw the frisbee around at Richmond Green Park
- Walk your dog at River Park Off-leash area and relax by the river at Sandy Beach
- Stroll through Garrison Woods and browse local businesses, restaurants, breweries, you name it.
So you can feed all areas of your health — physical, mental, emotional and spiritual — to increase your own wellbeing and positively benefit your community.
Click here to plan your next Calgary outing on our interactive map, the YYC Adventure Atlas.
