Wildflower Tea Shop & Apothecary
Before Hillary Libby opened Wildflower Tea Shop & Apothecary, she was on the corporate fast-track. She had achieved a career complete with all the trappings – a comfortable salary, a company car, great benefits, and plenty of stress. To offset the high-pressure lifestyle of her career, she dove deeper into her passion for yoga and made time for herself through the act of brewing a cup of tea. “It became this soothing, simple ritual. It only took a few minutes, but those were the few minutes a day that I could slow down and check in with myself. I really grew to love it,” Hillary shares. “Then it became a way for me to show love and care for others. When I had people over, I just always wanted to brew them a cup of tea.”
by Katie Faulkner | Photos Courtesy of Wildflower Tea Shop & Apothecary, by Soli Photography
Hungry for more knowledge on wellness-centric topics, she researched, read, and continued to edify herself about these holistic rituals. She built a pantry shelf full of herbs and tea blends and learned a variety of yoga practices. “You begin noticing how everything is interconnected: your emotions, your physical health, your nutrition, and your spirituality,” Hillary shares. She began studying Ayurvedic herbalism and meditation. She earned a certification through the Herbal Academy online. Hillary explains, “It evolved, and I became more invested. That’s where my heart really was, and I knew it was my purpose and a way to serve the community. Eventually, I decided to follow my heart.”
She began developing her vision for a wellness-focused, beautiful, warm and welcoming place to enjoy a cup of tea or shop through a wide variety of holistic products. More than 10 years into her corporate career, Hillary decided to take a leap of faith that the Chattanooga community would welcome a holistic hangout, and Wildflower was born.
Just as Hillary had grown to be thoughtful about what she put in her body and how she spent her time and energy, she is also thoughtful about making community connections and the businesses whose products she stocks in the shop. “I try to be mindful of where things come from. I look for local growers and makers and strive to always source organic products. Most of the items we stock are local or regional, with few exceptions, and the people we work with are awesome and make quality products.”
In addition, Wildflower has become a connecting place for all kinds of local businesses to partner with each other and with Wildflower. They host yoga instructors, herbal workshops, healing workshops, local artists and musicians, local restaurants, boutiques, and many other businesses. “This business is based on healing and helping people connect,” Hillary says.
