Talking Shop
Remedy Features Goods Produced by Local Artisans
Writer / Renee Larr
Photographer / Daren Short
Local business owner Angela Gapinski opened her second store in Westfield in November of 2020. Gapinski opened Remedy as a sister store to her plant business, Root 31. Remedy offers gifts from local purveyors.
We had so many items we just didnt have room for at Root 31, Gapinski says. Its all those things that we wanted to be able to sell but couldnt. We sell notebooks, journals, bath bombs, books, crystals, skin care, bandanas, handkerchiefs, incense, chocolate, spices, honey and pocketknives. These are all my favorite things that arent plant related.
Gapinski knew she couldnt pass up the opportunity when the old home behind Root 31 became available.
There was a building project that fell through because of COVID, Gapinski says. It was right at the pinnacle of quarantine. I got a call about the house behind Root 31 being available to rent. At the time, Root 31 was only 10 or 11 months old. It was really intimidating opening another business during the height of the pandemic, but I couldnt pass up the location.
A yard separates the two houses. Gapinski immediately saw the potential to connect the two businesses.
It was just way too good to be true, Gapinski says. We have this amazing yard between the two businesses. Were hoping in the future to have this whole secret garden between the two, where we can host classes and events.
Gapinski hopes artisans and makers teach those events and classes.
Due to the way we curated Remedy, we want those artisans we feature in the shop to be able to teach classes as well, Gapinski says. We have jewelry makers, soap makers and local beekeepers wed like to come in and share.
The name Remedy came out of feelings elicited during the pandemic and business shutdowns.
The whole idea for the name Remedy came from herbalism and these different methods of feeling good, Gapinski says. We wanted a shop that could be a remedy to the dark time we felt like we were all going through. We wanted to support as many other small businesses and makers as we could during that time. We wanted Remedy to be a community-driven concept that you could feel good about your purchases.
Gapinski grew up in Westfield and recently moved back with her husband.
I grew up here and then left to go to college, Gapinski says. I lived a few other places. We moved back about seven years ago. When we moved back we were doing everything in Indianapolis or Carmel. I just felt like Westfield needed shops to help that money stay within the community. We wanted to be part of the community in a greater way. We loved that downtown Westfield was so walkable between business to business. There is a little more charm than just pulling into a parking lot.
Remedy is located at 203 Jersey Street in Westfield. For more information, visit facebook.com/RemedyWestfield.
