Today we’d like to introduce you to Kassaundra Lynn.
Hi Kassaundra, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
The summer of 2020, I attended quite a few of the marches happening around Portland, OR, and wanted to be more of an active participant. So, I made herbal first aid kits and donated them. I had taken a couple years away from making herbal extracts, and this sparked my inspiration to dive into herbalism again. At that point, I had been studying herbalism for about 7 years, but only gave herbs to close friends and family. At the end of 2020, in November, I officially started Rooted Remedies, and vended at my very first market in December 2020. My table was a single, 3×6′ table. The market was in a tiny gym, in the back of a neighborhood, by the rail tracks, by 17th and Powell Blvd. I sold enough to cover the cost of the market, and I was elated!
That next year, I vended at every market I could, from the Portland Saturday Market to the Portland Flea Market and smaller farmers markets in Portland. Little by little, Rooted Remedies continued to grow. Then, I moved to Eugene, OR and met the requirements to vend at the Lane County Farmers Market. That is when Rooted Remedies grew exponentially!
After a year of being in Eugene, an opportunity to open a brick and mortar came up and I could not pass it by. Rooted Remedies Community Apothecary opened in November of 2022. The vision I had for the space had an emphasis on ‘community’. I filled the shelves with products from more herbalists, and other small businesses that shared similar values and worked in the realm of nature and/or wellness. All the businesses were local to Oregon. Little by little, Rooted Remedies Community Apothecary as continued to. We are now about to celebrate our 6th year, with a small team who help run the storefront, the booth at the Farmers Market, and co-teach workshops.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road! The first year of opening the brick and mortar came with many challenges, as most storefronts will attest to. One of the biggest challenges was the location. I did not do proper research on foot traffic in the area, and was the only storefront open to the public on the street for the first year. Slowly, more businesses has moved in, and we now have a street, filled with an assortment of storefronts. The other big challenge was figuring out what kind of help I needed with the business in order for it to sustainably grow and not be fully dependent on me. And, I’m still trying to figure that out. Last year, at the end of 2025, I almost closed everything down because I was burnt out, and took on too much by myself. With the help from friends, I decided to pivot the brick and mortar, and turned it into a community event space, while continuing to create and sell products for Rooted Remedies. I’m still trying to find that balance as well, and will be re-opening the retail portion in a way that incorporates a space for workshops and events.
We’ve been impressed with Rooted Remedies Apothecary, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Rooted Remedies is a woman-owned and operated, small-batch herbal apothecary based in Eugene, OR. Bridging science and tradition, it is our goal to help you reclaim your autonomy and empowerment when it comes to your health and wellbeing. We are dedicated to offering effective, high quality, locally sourced herbs and botanical products, intentionally formulated by a skilled herbalist. The biggest thing that sets us apart from other companies is the fact that 80% of all our ingredients are sourced locally to Oregon, and about 30% of our herbs are ethically and sustainably wildcrafted by Kassaundra (the founder). Kassaundra has made it her mission to create herbal extracts that are not only beneficial for your vitality and wellbeing, but are also pleasurable to take.
With a range of preparations including tinctures, herbal oils, seasonal shrubs, syrups, whole plant aromatherapy, and salves, we can help you find the type of herbal extract that will be the most beneficial for YOU.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
One of my favorite childhood memories was being in my great grandmother’s backyard, that was a giant garden of flowers and trees, with nooks and crannies. There was a small pond in the back corner that I loved playing around, hanging out with the plants and insects.
Pricing:
- Specialized Tinctures range from $20-74
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rootedremedies.co/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rootedremedies.co
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rootedremediesapothecary
