By Sarah Allen
In an age of retail stores and prescription pills, Naturally By Nature is a store that aims to bring people back to their roots.
The store was first opened in 2014. Since then, Naturally By Nature has “taken different shapes along the way,” said owner Kelly LeVangie.
“Basically, what we’re really trying to do is promote local artists (and) local farmers,” LeVangie said.
At Naturally By Nature, patrons can find an array of products, ranging from medicinal herbs, to ceramic work, to farm-fresh eggs. The store is operated on a consignment basis.
The store is also a drop-off spot for Fair Ridge Farm. For more information, visit fairridgefarm.com.
LeVangie specializes in medicinal herbs. She said Naturally By Nature is a place of education where, among other things, people can learn about the lost art of medicinal herbs.
LeVangie’s business partner, Rob MacGregor, said the store aims to instruct and support anything that can promote sustainability.
“Nobody should be hungry or sick with all that we’ve got right on our doorstep,” MacGregor said, describing the many uses of herbs and other plants.
Similarly, LeVangie said she started Naturally By Nature after being intrigued by herbs and after finding that there are few places to learn about them. At Naturally By Nature, a chart is positioned above the medicinal herbs for sale, which outlines the herbs best suited for different symptoms.
One of the main advantages of natural remedies, LeVangie said, is that they’re always available.
“We just need to be reminded how to use it,” she said.
MacGregor also said that, recently, it “seems like there’s a lot of momentum in that direction.”
Both MacGregor and LeVangie said that the best part of the store is its impact on the people.
“It’s been nice to hear people say, ‘Wow, that’s really helped,’” LeVangie said.
She gave an example of a woman who came into the store with a “busted lip … (that) looked horrible.”
That woman, LeVangie said, tried a tube of a product called Skin Again. After applying it that evening, she then came back the next day and bought a big bottle.
“It’s all just natural stuff … (that) healed (her lip) up so quickly,” LeVangie said.
MacGregor said the store has seen “everybody from people with sick cats to people with ghosts in their house.”
In addition, Naturally By Nature is planning to offer classes and other events. LeVangie said the store’s first event, which is planned for the end of July, will be an “art-a-zan bazaar.”
A schedule is still in the works for classes, which may include nature walks and the construction of hyper-tuffa containers. MacGregor, who has been making hyper-tuffas for the past 15 years, described them as sturdy plant containers which can be used year-round.
LeVangie said that scobys, which are used for making kombucha tea, a probiotic beverage, will be used in an upcoming class demonstration and will also be available for sale.
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NATURALLY BY NATURE
Address: 8249 state Route 73, Hillsboro, OH 45133
Hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday
For more information: Search Naturally By Nature on Facebook
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