New apothecary on Spring Street will focus on wellness of the body and the environment

From beyond the downward-facing branches of the iconic Camperdown Elm tree on Spring Street, and behind windows covered in butcher paper, a new Friday Harbor business is taking shape.

Salty at Heart is, in the words of owner Sarah Bernstein, a wellness lifestyle apothecary. As that description might suggest, when it opens sometime next month – hopefully by Easter – it will be unlike anything else you’ll find on the Island.

Like most modern apothecaries, Salty at Heart will feature an extensive collection of herbs and natural medicines. But it will also have an eclectic mix of health and wellness products, along with artwork and handmade goods from artists both local and international. Sarah is focused on providing all of those items with as little waste as possible.

“People spend a lot of time ordering things online, from all over the country, all over the world,” Sarah says. “And we live in a place where not only is it hard to get mail, it’s expensive to get mail, and it has a big carbon footprint to get here. So I’m trying to curate the items that are in here to be very earth friendly, body friendly, ocean friendly.”

A major part of that effort centers on Salty at Heart’s so-called refillery, which will allow locals and tourists alike to buy soaps, shampoos and conditioners with reusable containers, instead of consuming products that have been shipped to the Island in individual plastic bottles or single-use packaging.

“I’ve worked in many different marine environments on this island over the last ten years, as well as in research stations around the world,” Sarah explains. “I feel like those of us that love the water are very attached to it – we’re salty at heart. So everything I sell, I want it to mean less plastic, less pollution going into the ocean.”

Sarah’s remodeled space at 310 Spring Street lives up to the same ethos. The top of the sales counter was originally part of Ernie’s Cafe and its face is made out of wood reclaimed from pallets discarded at Browne’s Home Center. Some of the shelves came from Cafe Demeter, where for many years Islanders used them as a place to add cream and sugar to their coffees. The other shelving has been custom built by Island carpenters.

Sarah hopes Salty at Heart will be open six or seven days a week this summer, but the first-time business owner – whose background includes teaching, wildlife photography, and working as a naturalist – understands the challenge ahead of her. “I’ve never had my own business and the learning curves are exponential.”

She also wishes for the location to eventually turn into a community space, which has become increasingly difficult to find on San Juan Island. “This tree is really special. A lot of locals miss being able to hang out here,” Sarah says. “Those gates out front have been closed for a long time. I’m hoping to create community by hosting workshops and inviting locals to be part of our narrative and share their craft – I’m hoping for a space where people can get together.”

Incorporating a restaurant or cafe into Salty at Heart is unfortunately out of the question. The kitchen that used to sit at the back of the building has been removed, replaced with an apartment.

Whatever direction the business takes, Sarah intends Salty at Heart to be a positive, delightful addition to the Island. “Hopefully this store can inspire people in some way, either to give them tools to connect with themselves and their health and their wellness, or tools to feel more connected to the environment. Everything will be specially chosen – who knows what you’ll wander in and find?”

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