Erika Fowler took lessons from creative work and grandmother to open herbal business
CAMBRIDGE ? Erika Fowler grew up around herbs, making it almost inevitable that she would end up right where she is — the owner of Rooted Botanicals & Teas at 615 Wheeling Ave., which opened in May.
“I’ve always been fascinated by nature. It’s always brought me peace and connection,” said Fowler, a Buckeye Trail High School graduate who left the area and returned in 2014. “My grandmother had an herbal supplement store in Newcomerstown called Good Earth Gospel Shop when I was a kid.”
Fowler said she grew up watching her herbalist grandma Claire Cameron make soap and herbal concoctions.
“I’d play in the shop, and help make things,” she said. “It was instilled in me at a very young age.”
But life took her down a different path, she said, into social work.
“I’ve done that professionally the last decade,” said the Kaplan University graduate, who specialized in case management which led to working with clients who had substance abuse disorders, mental health issues, and addictions. “The last five years I worked at Guernsey Health Choices.”
In that position, Fowler said she was allowed to get creative and try different interventions at work.
“We were always trying to think of new, creative ways to engage our clients. We’d try to reach them in a way they hadn’t been reached before,” she said. “What’s always been inside me got pulled out in that phase. It made me think about my own struggles and what has helped me.”
When she started down that rabbit hole, she said it led her back to her roots and the days of holistic healing taught to her by her grandmother.
“I’ve always been spiritual and believed in nurturing the body and mental health,” she said, adding that she’s in the process of seeking her herbalist certification. “And before I opened the store, I started doing herbal soaps and scrubs at vendor’s shows and farmers markets.
Then last summer my best friend, Jamie Kerns, owner of Fern and Key, and I decided to go at it again. She does crystals and jewelry and I do soaps and teas.”
Fowler said that blossomed into a booth at Black Hat Vintage and then Rooted.
“So, my last position really opened those doors for me. It tied it all together,” said Fowler. “It inspired me to go all in.”
Rooted is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. They also sell spiritual and ceremonial supplies, body care items, bath bombs, tapestries, sun catchers, incense, plant supplies, foraging bags and supplies, and bulk herbs.
“I really focus on the herbal side of things with the tea,” said Fowler. “My approach with the teas is to really work with the different benefits they provide. Herbs address different things. It could just be soothing or it could help with digestion. Everybody is different. One herb could work for one and not another.”
She said lavender is always a popular herb in her shop, but her best selling tea is a spicy, fall-like brew for reducing inflammation.
“It has herbs that address inflammation and pain and swelling in the body,” said Fowler. “People have really benefitted from it. It has whole leaf basil, lemongrass, ginger root, and orange peel in it. Sometimes I’ll add turmeric. Turmeric and ginger are the main things that combat inflammation.
She said her other bestseller is a man’s product — the Wildman soap.
“My husband inspired it,” laughed Fowler. “He loves goat milk soap so that’s the base. And then it has sandalwood, patchouli, activated charcoal, organic oats, and poppy seed. It’s definitely the soap people come back for.”
Additional, Fowler’s grandmother has come out of retirement to provide wellness services at her granddaughter’s shop. A full circle moment.
“We’re doing great so far,” said Fowler. “It’s really a dream come true.”
This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Erika Fowler's roots and grandmother inspired her to open herbal store
