It was October 2004 when East Meets West first opened their doors. The location was on 3rd Ave S; it was only about 800 sqft, made up of a small reception area and 3 treatment rooms. The renovation on this space was done by the owner, Dr. Sean Hantke, with the help of family and friends.
Dr. Sean Hantke ran the business as a one man show, doing everything from treating patients, answering phones, billing, advertising and general maintenance- this allowed him to gain a good grasp on what starting a business and being an entrepreneur was all about. Over the next 4 years, the business continued to grow and expand, and an additional 200 sqft was added to the space, adding an additional 2 treatment rooms. One of these rooms was leased out to a massage therapist, and this was the first experience that Dr. Hantke had working with along side another healthcare professional. This sparked his vision of a team based multidisciplinary healthcare facility.
In January 2008, East Meets West, along with Walcott Chiropractic, purchased a condo in the WT Hill area. The condo was 4000 sqft; East Meets West had 5 rooms, Walcott Chiropractic had 4, and the remaining space was leased to a Day Spa. The business grew from there, adding an additional acupuncturist, Dr. Tobie Spitzer, as well as shared support staff.
Still with the vision of creating a true healthcare team, Dr. Sean Hantke employed a massage therapist and began combining acupuncture and massage treatments into one treatment session. The combo treatment was born; a full acupuncture treatment followed by a 15-minute massage! The treatment results and feedback were amazing, again, solidifying the vision of creating an integrated healthcare team.
Over the next 10 years, the business grew at a rapid rate; East Meets West now owned and occupied the entire condo, additional massage therapists were added, and the existing acupuncture department grew. Shortly after, other departments were added – Chiropractic, Naturopathic Medicine, Physiotherapy and Medical Aesthetics all joined the team, creating the vision of a united healthcare centre.
As of today, East Meets West Health Centre has 26 employees and consists of 6 different healthcare services. We are a true healthcare team passionate about providing a collaborative approach to a better you.
From its humble beginnings to its current status, East Meets West has been a vision of Dr. Sean Hantke’s – building a company that puts patients’ needs before anything else, and combing the right departments and practitioners to uphold high standards. East Meets West is ready for exciting changes coming in the new year that will fulfill the dream of a team based multidisciplinary healthcare facility that started so long ago.
