Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting New York City. Based on a recommendation from a friend in the Herbal Entrepreneur community, one morning I went to Anima Mundi to sample their “Plant Bar” and get ideas of cool things to do inside a real brick-and-mortar herbal shop.
And let me tell you, the trip didn’t disappoint.
As usual, I don’t want to keep the inspiring visit to myself. Instead, I’m writing this post - including some incredible pictures of my visit - to share the experience so that YOU can get some ideas for your own herbal business too.
So let’s do this!
Who is behind Anima Mundi Apothecary?
Adriana Ayales, the owner of Anima Mundi Apothecary, is an herbalist, medicine maker, educator who is originally Costa Rica. She founded Anima Mundi in Brooklyn as a way to bring ancient remedies into the modern world.
Anima Mundi is devoted to providing the freshest and most vibrant herbal formulas and sources over 200 different herbs directly from farmers in Central and South America and around the world.
Their mission is to create a true farm to pharmacy experience through the art of medicine making with herbs.
You can find out more about Adriana Ayales and Anima Mundi Apothecary here.
Walking in the Doors to Anima Mundi
It was a lovely morning in July when I had the opportunity to visit the apothecary. I was in New York for a work conference and had a few hours free in the morning, so I walked through the streets of Brooklyn to make my way there.
As soon as I walked in the entrance, my first peek was enough for me to fall in love with the interior decor (and I hadn’t even focused my gaze on the herbal products yet....!)
But really, take a look at the way this store is laid out and how inviting the space is.
Just a quick walk around and you will find:
- Areas to chill out
- Herbal books placed strategically to read
- Products on display (and to try)
- Inspiring herbal quotes
- Real indoor plants for comforting decor
There’s a large table in the center of the room where you can sit and read, while enjoying a plant-based beverage. (More on the plant bar - one of my favorite parts - coming up soon!)
The place is simple but everything is set out with thought and intention.
Finally, the place has character.
I mean, putting out a sign that compares us to houseplants with complicated emotions has to get a mention.
On that note, you can follow Anima Mundi Herbals on Instagram for regular inspiration here.
They regularly post great herbal content that will inspire you as an herbalist.
A Taste at the Plant Bar
Okay, here comes my favorite part:
The Plant Bar.
The interior of the shop is set up as an herbal product and supplies shop, but also as a place for people to chill out and enjoy an herbal-based beverage.
They have an actual bar, with a “Plant Bar Menu” for you to order the flavor of the day.
To give you an idea of what I mean, you can take a look at the space in the picture below.
At the bar, you can take a look at the Menu and order exactly what you feel like.
And since they make everything right there just for you, I’m sure you could ask them for a customized beverage too. But for my first visit, I wanted to trust their recommendations to see what they were.
Here’s what the plant bar menu looks like:
I chose to get the SOOTHE, with tumeric and ginger with almond milk and coconut cream.
It was delicious, and beautiful with the rose petal garnish.
Just take a look at the work of art here:
I absolutely LOVE this idea for any herbal shop.
It has character and provides a space for people to enjoy the herbs right there in the shop… in a more “conventional” way, even for people who aren’t herbalists.
Their Product Lines
A core part of the mission at Anima Mundi is to provide the freshest and most vibrant herbal formulas.
They have individual herbs available to purchase, as well as ready made products including elixirs, tonics, and herbal kits.
Here’s a look at some of there selection of loose herbs available to purchase.
When I visited the store, I was particularly interested in the labels for the herbal products, as that is something that I am currently working on for my own business.
With that in mind, I took a few pictures of some of the product lines and how they are laid out.
Also interesting to note that many of their herbal tonics and other products were available as “testers” to try out before you purchase.
This is a nice idea for an in-person shop to get people to engage with the products before they actually buy anything.
Here’s what some of the tester products looked like.
While I was there, I talked to the storeperson who told me about wholesale options when I explained I was an herbalist interested in how the business was run.
If you own an herbal shop, this could be a great place to source quality herbal products. You can get in touch with the team here.
Other Offerings
I’ve already mentioned the Plant Bar and the various products that were available inside the Anima Mundi store.
… but that’s not all!
Another really cool thing that they offer in the store are herbal events.
Personally, I think this is something that EVERY herbal store should be doing. It’s part of our contribution to the community to share what we know with others.
We can provide the space and education that people need to learn how to use herbs for their own benefit.
Unfortunately, there weren’t any workshops or classes the day that I had free in NYC (I literally only had one morning free!) but I think it would be amazing to attend one of these classes if you get the opportunity.
Here’s a peek at their upcoming events right now.
What will YOU take from this?
This post was enjoyable for me to write, and I hope that you got a little kick out of reading it.
But it’s NOT the reason that I wrote it.
Nope. I created this record of my experience inside an exemplary herbal store because I believe that there is a lot for us to learn from Adriana and Anima Mundi.
I want to share this with you so that YOU can take an idea or two and see how it works out for you.
So I’m going to leave you with a question.
What part about Anima Mundi Apothecary sticks out to you? What idea has it given you that you could try out?
Post your thoughts in the comments below - I’d love to hear from you!
Wow thank you for this!! We are excited to share!