Before opening “Salty at Heart Island Apothecary,” Sarah Bernstein found herself drifting back and forth from the San Juans like waves washing to and from the shoreline.

She originally came to Friday Harbor because a college friend had moved there. Later, she worked as a kayak guide but left to attend graduate school in Marine Biology.

Bernstein has worked all around the world, from the Galapagos to Antarctica, up to Alaska. In between those jobs, she would find herself back in the San Juans but wasn’t able to make it financially.

As COVID began, Bernstein decided San Juan was her home, her community. Around that same time, an apothecary closed in Friday Harbor. As a result, she noticed people were ordering the products they used to be able to buy at that shop online.

“I wanted to create a place where they could find those products locally,” Bernstein said.

She had a dream of opening an apothecary where people could continue to buy herbs, find a variety of quality natural remedies, products with zero waste options like refillable soaps as well as space to hold classes. Moving forward she hopes to have more educational workshops on subjects like herbs and forging. She would love to have in-house tinctures and homemade apothecary items.

The pandemic also inspired her to open because people needed different tools to connect to and different spiritual medicines, she explained. “Salty at Heart Island Apothecary” was born.

As a woman stepping into the business world, funding was an issue. “I started off really small, but getting loans to start a business, as a woman, has been difficult. This community has been very supportive of women in business, however, and I have found a cool network of women,” Bernstein said, noting that the town has a very high percentage of women-owned businesses. “We talk to each other, support each other and trade tips. In a community like this, the more people who thrive the more everyone succeeds.”

For her part, Bernstein stocks her shop with as many locally made items as possible.

“I also try to be culturally sensitive with products that I bring in, supporting local women, independent women. I source everything intentionally,” Bernstein explained.

Running a business, however, is harder than it looks.

“Social media can make it look really glamorous, but there are a lot of pieces that go into it,” she said.

Like a mother taking care of a child, ensuring they are safe and healthy, their shoes are tied and jackets are ready if the child is cold, the business owner tends to all the aspects of keeping that shop open.

“It can be challenging,” Bernstein said.

While islanders have been supportive, people also express a desire for the stores to be open all year, then don’t come in during the off-season.

“If you like visiting the farmers market, why wouldn’t you want to take the time to walk around and visit your local shops, see what they have?” Bernstein asked.

Contributed photo The array of products inside Salty at Heart.