For Brendalee Engelhardt, owner of Florian Clinic and Day Spa, beauty and wellness have always been part of her life. Growing up in her family’s business, Dolmor Salon, Engelhardt says she “swept floors and handed pins” long before she knew she’d one day run her own clinic.
After returning to Simcoe in the 1980s, Engelhardt helped develop Dolmor’s first aesthetics department — a new concept at the time. When a fire forced her to pivot, she established Eden Day Spa, which became a foundation for her next venture. Outgrowing that space, she took a leap of faith, purchasing and transforming a derelict building on Colborne Street South into what is now Florian Clinic and Day Spa.
Engelhardt would continue to strive for a warm, inclusive environment focused on total well-being.
Engelhardt says Florian’s philosophy is “wellness to beauty rather than cosmetic to beauty.”
The spa avoids nail and lash extensions, focusing instead on organic skincare, holistic facials, and advanced foot care — services that attract a loyal clientele, including many men. She also provides evidence-based treatments like electrolysis, dermaplaning, and microdermabrasion, blending wellness with clinical precision.
Through decades of local economic change, Engelhardt credits adaptability, listening to clients, and a calm, grounded approach for her success. “There’s nothing that replaces hands on a body doing work,” she says, emphasizing the human connection behind every service.
Engelhardt explains that some clients see her and her staff more often than they see their own extended families — something she doesn’t take lightly.
Looking ahead, Florian Clinic plans to expand its skincare portfolio with new, non-invasive treatments while maintaining the trust and community connection that have defined it. Engelhardt sums it up well: “In a world driven by technology, we want to be the place where people can pause, breathe, and feel cared for.”