Last March, in celebration of the Spring Equinox, Nederland’s first artisan apothecary had it’s grand opening party. Nearly a hundred people streamed through the doors to enjoy healthy snacks, herbal teas, and to take in the sights, sounds, and smells of Alpine Botanicals on First Street. 

Summer Cowhig, Katy Able, Kate Miller and Heather Saba

Owner Kate Miller built the building from scratch with a very clear vision of what she wanted to create. “We are really proud to be representing over 20 women-owned and locally-owned brands with an herbal or artisan focus.  It’s so empowering and exciting for us to be participating in a movement where local and sustainable businesses can thrive, where we can support one another while also offering an important and inspiring range of products and services to the community.” Alpine Botanicals employees are all trained herbalists in their own right, and can create a custom herbal blend based on your constitution and susceptibilities.

But Alpine Botanicals is more than an herbal health and wellness boutique. “The apothecary is only one aspect of our vision.” Miller said. “The 900 sq ft greenhouse is underway in its development into a forest garden system where resilient perennial herbs, vegetables, and fruits are under cultivation. We also have an herbal production facility, available for rent to the community, free of common allergens, and with a goal to be FDA compliant by 2019.”

Dawne Vrabel (left) and Stephanie Syson (right) of Dynamic Roots join Kate Miller (center) to celebrate the grand opening of Alpine Botanicals. 

Miller’s vision is to serve the community with outreach and education as well. “We are really excited to team up with a ton of local holistic educators on our class schedule, and we will be starting an herbal apprenticeship program next fall.  We will continue to collaborate with local non profits such as The Holistic Homestead, Boulder Permaculture, and others, especially those focused on sustainability in the realm of herbal medicine and local food advocacy.” Naturopathic Doctor Gregory Pais has regular office hours at Alpine Botanicals for consultations, workshops and private constitutional treatment.

Alpine Botanicals is now open to the public in downtown Nederland, Colorado. Learn more at alpinebotanicals.com.