Wooden shelves stocked with glass jars and homemade soaps. The fragrance of fresh herbs. Reminders of years gone by – typewriters, tapestries and trinkets of all kinds.
These things and more await you at Vintage Apothecary.
Welcome to wellness
“Apothecary” is an old term for pharmacy, but not like they exist today. Apothecaries sold herbs and tinctures that help people, said Melissa Scianna, owner of Vintage Apothecary at 2818 3rd Ave. N.
The downtown business opened with 100 botanical varieties last November. The selection has since grown to around 150, and new herbs are added by request. Customers choose their herbs or oils and Scianna combines the ingredients.
“I do the dirty work,” which keeps the product and workspace sanitary, she said.
People are also reading…
In addition to herbs, the apothecary sells essential and perfume oils as well as antiques. Scianna also seeks out local items for the store, carrying everything from goat's milk soap sourced from Worden to paintings done by Billings artists. She’s brought a little of her roots to the Magic City, too – inventory includes maple syrup and candies straight from Scianna’s home state of Connecticut.
Most of what Vintage Apothecary sells is organic.
With the combination of products for sale and services available, like reiki, reflexology and spiritual readings, Scianna created an eclectic environment promoting holistic wellness.
“I wanted something people could see when they’re walking by, smell when they walk by the open doors. I wanted it to be a safe, warm, inviting environment for people,” she said. “It’s a full wellness location.”
Planting the seed
From a young age, Scianna loved things that grew.
After earning a degree in horticulture from the University of Connecticut, Scianna moved to Montana where she’s resided for 26 years. Her interest in wellness blossomed while working at Westpark Village senior living community. She saw people using natural remedies, like essential oils, and knew it was time for her to put that passion to the test.
“I wanted to find and follow my purpose,” she said. “I needed the freedom to help people in my own way.”
After competing in the Downtown Billings Alliance’s Battle of the Plans, Scianna says the pieces came together quickly. She received a loan and a Business Improvement District grant for the space that would house the apothecary.
Individual attention
Vintage Apothecary caters to customers’ unique needs – whether it’s for a health issue or a perfume they like and want duplicated.
Scianna recalls a 15-year-old customer struggling with anxiety symptoms. She crafted a rollerball of essential oils to help calm the teen during anxious episodes. When the customer returned with her father weeks later, she hugged Scianna in appreciation.
Another patron living with post-traumatic stress disorder claimed he hadn’t slept in 25 years. He was grateful to Scianna for providing him with a knockout tea blend which helped him sleep.
Vintage Apothecary is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is open for events like ArtWalk and a monthly psychic energy healing circle, and she hopes to start offering classes on herbalism and perfume-making.
