Home Grown Apothecary is a woman-, immigrant- and minority-owned apothecary that doubles as a dispensary. Or perhaps, it’s a dispensary that doubles as an apothecary. However you want to look at it, the average customer tends to walk out of this cozy establishment with more than one kind of herb.
Formed in 2014, the mission from the outset at Home Grown Apothecary has been to help patients improve their whole health and wellness through natural, homeopathic alternatives to traditional medicine. The founders believe that while Cannabis is a significant plant with powerful healing and medicinal properties, it’s just one avenue to healthier living. That’s why this shop boasts a collection of around 200 different herbs, teas, tinctures, adaptogenic mushrooms, soaps and more. Every item is organically certified or ethically wild-harvested. It even employs its own in-house herbalist, Tania Byrne. She’s the author of the book “Gather: Wild Recipes for Health and Home” and has been curating the herbal selection at Home Grown Apothecary for nearly nine years.
The dispensary carries over 40 different Cannabis-based tinctures ranging from CBD, CBG, CBN and beyond. Given the diverse needs of their clientele, the staff at Home Grown Apothecary find it important to stock a large assortment of products in varying strengths and formulations. While hosting what is probably the most comprehensive collection of alternative cannabinoid and medicinal Cannabis products we’ve ever seen, the shop also carries an abundance of more “traditional” items like flower, vape carts, concentrates and a selection of fast-flowering, mildew-resistant clones.
Every item on the shelf has been carefully vetted for ethical practices and sustainability. The overarching theme here is pushing the conversation forward on important topics like health, wellness, and more conscious environmental practices. Even daily specials like “Renewable Energy Tuesdays” and “Women-Owned Brands Wednesdays” are tailored towards increasing awareness and overall consumer education.
Of note, Home Grown Apothecary organizes a medical donation program that partners with brands (like Farmer’s Friend Extracts) to connect patients in need with donations of RSO and tinctures. These products significantly improve the quality of life for individuals who would otherwise go without. They also provide bulk ordering of RSO for patients with chronic or debilitating conditions that require larger amounts of medicine. For patients who qualify, management will work to cut down prices to only the cost of the product and any required taxes. The goal when working with medical patients is always to find a way to reduce barriers to care and increase access to medicine.
When asked about how they maintain focus on the patient experience, store manager Richard Ferry explains, “Cannabis is a care business. When we are talking about customer care and putting people on the front lines, I really have to give it up to the team here at Home Grown Apothecary. They listen to people, they ask questions, and they take the time to learn people’s needs. They really put their all into taking care of people every day.”
