Have a problem with focusing or attention deficit? There’s a tea for that. Having back pain? There’s a tea for that, too. Have a problem finding those teas? There’s a store for that! Welcome to Sister’s Herbs.
Sister’s Herbs opened their doors in Lubbock on Valentine’s Day of 2018. A fitting day to open since they have so much love for the community and for their customers.
This holistic health shop sells tea, all natural capsules, essential oils, and other natural products. I had the chance to talk to owners Kathy Garrett and Michelle Madry about the heart behind Sister’s Herbs.
What inspired you to start Sister’s Herbs?
Kathy: “I moved out to New Mexico about eight years ago to work with my sister’s herb shop, Rosemary’s Herbs. I completely fell in love with this industry. I have a nursing background, so I helped communicate more health-based information to customers. From all the way in New Mexico, I had customers begging us to open something like this. Michelle’s mother (Michelle’s my business partner) was one of the main people who persuaded me to move down here. After doing some research, I saw there was definitely a need for a holistic health store around.”
Tell me more about your partnership.
Michelle: “My mom was a big customer of Kathy’s at Rosemary’s. Through my mom, I became familiar with herbs, and I’ve worked with essential oils for 15-20 years. Kathy has worked with herbs for a long time as well. Together, we really compliment each other. I’ve got a background in marketing and Kathy knows business. This partnership isn’t what either one of us was looking for originally, but it’s evolved into a really cool deal. Our passion and our heart for this industry is what brought us together, and at the end of the day it’s what is important.”
Kathy: “We’re definitely each learning from each other.”
Although natural medicine is starting to trend, many people are new to the idea. What have been the reactions of your customers thus far?
Kathy: “I like to share that my favorite quote is Genesis 1:29 which says, ‘And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb-bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth.’ There are natural remedies for so many ailments. Of course, there are modern medicines out there that we have to have. You can’t just pull natural products off the shelf without understanding medicine.”
Michelle: “We really believe that education and explanation is important. We don’t want to push anybody, but we do our best to let people know what’s available and they can decide if they want to take these things or not. Sometimes people read our information sheets and think about it for a few weeks, and then they come back and are ready to shop. On the other hand, some people come in, ask a lot of questions, and they are on board right away. We like to get to the root of the issues first. We like to start small and just help people feel better. Our motto is Your Health Matters.”
What are some of the highlights of your journey with this new business?
Kathy: “It’s been word of mouth right now, but we’re definitely growing. We’ve had a lot of repeat customers and they feel like family. We definitely treat them like family.”
Michelle: “Making people feel better is the highlight for us. We love seeing the good results. People who come in with Parkinson’s and then come back and they’re not shaking as much, or people who come in who have had relief from pain. So many people have told us that our products have made a difference in their lives. It’s so good to see their quality of life increase.”
Have you had success getting settled in Lubbock?
Michelle: “Lubbock is already a healthcare-oriented town, in terms of modern medicine, but it is really evolving in the health space. It’s truly a community and people are open to new things. We’re very much a specialty store but we’re needed here and the community is both welcoming and embracing us. There are also surrounding communities where the medical care isn’t as great. So they’ve been coming in and I think Lubbock supports that as well.”
Kathy: “I’ve fallen in love with Lubbock. I think it’s a beautiful town and the people are so friendly. We’re taking baby steps, but we’re moving forward.”
What Are Your Dreams for the Business?
Kathy: “I really want to teach and educate. We’d love to offer classes later down the road. We also want to continue to grow. The more we grow, the more people we can help. Who knows, maybe we’ll expand again in 5 to 10 years.”
These healers are off to a great start. Keep a non-literal eye out for growth and expansion. With extensive knowledge in the world of natural health and an extensive inventory of natural products, Sister’s Herbs is definitely the place to go for natural solutions. Check them out on here.