Today we’d like to introduce you to Rue Vashakidze.
Hi Rue, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Seagrape Apothecary was born on the living room floor of my one bedroom apartment in college in 2009. While I was studying painting and earning my BFA, I also got a part-time job at a progressive adult shop. My paintings revolved around self discovery, expansion, and the beauty of intimate relationships. My part-time job also dealt with the same concepts as people came in looking for ways to develop self devotion and tap further into sensuality in their every day lives.
I started to develop and formulate beautiful products based on the needs I saw. I made sensual massage candles to help make romance slow and intentional, aphrodisiac perfumes to boost confidence on the go, luscious body oils to use for self adornment rituals. All of the tools I developed were based directly on the conversations I was having with real people about self-love, the desire to be closer to folks we care for, and the need for softness and sensuality in our every day lives.
Almost 18 years later I’m still having the same conversations with our loyal customer base – some of whom have been with me since the very beginning. In a world where productivity and quick turnaround are seen as the most important things, reminding people that softness and sensuality are worthy pursuits is my calling. Seagrape’s tagline is ‘turn self care into a love affair”, and after all this time I still stand firmly behind this mission.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As I come up on 18 years in business, it’s really special to reflect on all of the ups and downs. The challenges of running a small business are consistent in that we are always finding creative ways to solve a problem. Although this can be a huge struggle, it is also a gift to know that you can tackle anything that comes your way from a place grounded in values. Failure isn’t inherently bad, and everyone that I admire greatly has a series of “failures” under their belt. Being able to look at an obstacle and decide how to move forward- whether to learn from it or to shift your perspective around it, is a gift when running a small business.
When the pandemic hit in 2020 we pivoted constantly at the shop. Instead of closing, we turned toward the community for support. Being vulnerable and asking for what we needed during this difficult time created space for us to receive support and invaluable input from our customers. Looking back on it now, the push to ask the community for help and support was actually a moment of tremendous growth for the company, and the only way I would’ve gotten that gift was to be vulnerable about the struggles we were facing.
When I get stuck I always think of the quote by Anais Nin: “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage” and I remind myself that facing challenges is often a kind of death and rebirth- it can be chaotic and painful, but it makes way for beautiful things you din’t even know you could do.
As you know, we’re big fans of Seagrape Apothecary. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
The most incredible thing about Seagrape Apothecary is the community we cultivate.
Before I opened a physical storefront in Portland, Oregon in 2015 the business was run out of my home. Prior to having a shop I would travel from state to state doing trade shows and visiting stores to connect with customers directly. Now, almost 11 years into having a home-base in Portland, we have customers coming to visit us from all over the country because of the way we’ve spent time cultivating the community.
The shop hosts workshops and classes throughout the year, often inviting artists and friends to pop up and showcase their work. Last year we hosted a series of book and tarot release parties for independent authors and artists who have published really incredible titles on witchcraft and magic. It’s so incredible and important to be a hub for magical and creative folks that are doing similar work of cultivating connection, softness, and community in a world that continuously tries to isolate us.
Some of our monthly events include Witchy Speed Friending where folks can find new like-minded friends, an astrology-based event called Charm and Chat, digital New Moon circles for setting intentions, and a Community Tarot Circle for beginners interested in divination. We also have a private digital membership called Seagrape Babes, where folks can ask questions, create meet-ups and share their lives in a closed container. Basic membership is free ( a Ritual option is also available for those wanting classes) and opens quarterly for new members!
Seagrape Apothecary is a space to foster interdependence and remember that magic and self-care are worth cultivating.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
As an artist and a creative, I think of risk as an opportunity to lean in, trust my intuition, and utilize my creativity in new ways. I’ve been in places of stagnation before in my life, and for me, risk always outweighs predictability when it comes to running a business based in values and integrity.
When I moved to Portland from the East Coast and decided to open up a physical shop, it happened kind of by accident. The storefront was meant to be a production and art studio space, but people were eager to make their way in right away- following all of the good smells wafting through the front door. The first sale I made at the shop was an unlabeled bottle of massage oil because I hadn’t unpacked the labels yet. The customer seemed so enchanted with the feel and smell of the oil that it didn’t seem to matter, and I took that as my sign to take an unplanned risk.
Even though it was really scary, I knew in that moment that the studio I had started to set up was actually meant to be a storefront where people could come visit, try the luscious body care I was making, and be in community. I trusted that intuitive feeling even though it was terrifying not to know how it was going to come together. Failure was always a possibility, but so was success. Risk often requires a state of delusion and optimism we’re not taught to have, but when you believe things will work out, they very often do!
During the pandemic when we turned towards community and experienced a lot of growth because of it, I had the feeling that it was time to expand the store from our original 600 sq ft studio space to our current 5000 sq ft storefront on Sandy and NE 28th. I had no idea how I was going to pull off such a big expansion, but I knew that it was time for the store to encompass more magic! Our customers were consistently asking for more books, workshops, and a variety of other tools we didn’t have space for. Even though it was a huge risk and a giant financial jump to expand into such a large storefront, I trusted that it was going to come together.
We have been at our larger location for almost 2 years now, and the shop has a cute tea station and several couches for folks to get cozy on while looking at goods or waiting for a Tarot reading (every Saturday from 12-4 at the shop!). This kind of community tending is part of the fabric of Seagrape Apothecary and would not have been possible without all the terrifying, but rewarding risks we took!
Pricing:
- Workshops $10-100
- Seagrape Babes Coven- Free!
- Handmade soap- $17 (our fave product)
- Tea + Vibes- Priceless! (and free <3)
- Tarot readings- $30-100
Contact Info:
- Website: https://seagrapeapothecary.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seagrapeapothecary
- Facebook: tiktok.com/@seagrapeapothecary
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/seagrape-apothecary-portland
- Other: https://seagrapebabes.seagrapeapothecary.com/
