After Sarah Creech had her second child four years ago, she started using powders from Sun Potion and The Beauty Chef to improve her sleep, mental clarity and stamina. She experienced phenomenal results from the supplements and purchased them steadily online at The Detox Market to keep her health humming.
As word spread of her success with ingestibles, Creech, then a stay-at-home mom, began fielding questions from friends intrigued by them. “If you aren’t somewhere they’re sold, then you just don’t know what you’re ordering. I think that scares people off,” she says. “Especially in green beauty, people need to be able to try the product before they buy it.”
Nearly 2,740 miles from The Detox Market’s Los Angeles location, Creech’s hometown of Virginia Beach lacked a clean beauty retailer providing offerings like those it stocks. Creech decided to test whether the coastal city’s residents would be interested in a clean beauty and wellness concept with a pop-up at the store The Collective. Glow Apothecary opened its temporary outpost in March with 15 small shelves, which subsequently increased to 30, and ended up doubling sales every month.
Encouraged by customer receptivity to the pop-up, Creech has made Glow Apothecary permanent at a roughly 500-square-foot oceanfront space showcasing inside-out beauty items, skincare, makeup, mother and baby supplies, and more. Brands include Sun Potion, The Beauty Chef, Four Sigmatic, Wunder Workshop, Grown Alchemist, Kypris, Odacité, Mun, Gryph & IvyRose, Little Barn Apothecary, Erbaviva, Davids Natural Toothpaste, Vapour, Lovekins, Kosås, and Leaves and Flowers.
“If you aren’t somewhere they’re sold, then you just don’t know what you’re ordering. I think that scares people off. Especially in green beauty, people need to be able to try the product before they buy it.”
“I believe in fueling your body and nourishing your skin with products that are clean, sustainable, and free of harmful chemicals. I want people to feel their best, and glow from within with vitality and energy,” says Creech. “Glow Apothecary is a place to learn, try things out and find community.”
Creech doesn’t make snap judgements on brands. She imbibes or applies them extensively prior to approving them for Glow Apothecary, and attempts to purchase modestly at first from brands for her nascent shop. “They want to start with $1,000 to $1,500. That’s a big commitment, and it’s hard when you’re trying to get additional partnerships and all of the opening orders have such high minimums,” says Creech. “I think $500 is a good starting point. I’ve had some that will go down to $350.”
Creech has invested about $15,000 so far to bring the store to life, and estimates it will take a year or two for it to become profitable. Its design is classy yet comfortable with white ceilings, primarily white walls, dark wood floor, makeup bar, centerpiece table with two hanging baskets over it, accent wall featuring the word “Glow,” and a sink and mirror for product experimentation. At the back, there’s intricate plant wallpaper, and two chairs and a tiny table for shoppers to hang out.
“I believe in fueling your body and nourishing your skin with products that are clean, sustainable, and free of harmful chemicals. I want people to feel their best, and glow from within with vitality and energy. Glow Apothecary is a place to learn, try things out and find community.”
Glow Apothecary’s customer base is expected to be a mix of tourists and locals. “Virginia Beach is the 15th fittest city in the United States. We have a lot of surfers, runners and cyclists. We have tons of farmers’ markets where people display what they make. When Whole Foods got here, it blew up,” says Creech. “People around here love to try new stuff, and they’re attuned to their health and wellbeing.”
At the pop-up, sampling was an important revenue driver. For example, Creech put out Wonder Workshop turmeric lattes for customers to sip. She also discovered events were crucial for business. Holistic nutritionist Jennifer Van Horn spoke at the temporary store on the benefits of adaptogens and medicinal mushrooms, and Glow Apothecary’s sales spiked. At the current location, Pilates, yoga and meditation events are being planned.
An e-commerce website is being planned, too, and most of the merchandise available at Glow Apothecary’s store will be sold on it. However, Creech doesn’t anticipate the site supplanting the store. “I know people are busy, and they’re not taking the time to slow down, but I think there’s still a need for brick-and-mortar,” she says. “There’s something to say for stores where you can go, try things and support local businesses. When I go out of town, going shopping is one of my favorite things to do.”
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