The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
A NATURAL CHOICE
For Old Familiar Ways, offering products that are organic is highest priority
While many stores in Fairport Harbor Village enjoy their busiest periods during either Christmas shopping season or summer, the peak time for profits is different at Old Familiar Ways.
Located at 312 High St. in the village, Old Familiar Ways is a holistic shop specializing in certified organic products. Many customers use the vast selection of herbs, spices, powders and teas for health reasons, including common wintertime ailments.
“January and February — those are really busy months for us, because a lot people are sick,” said store owner Patricia Krakauskas.
Co-owner Kimberly Ferris, who’s also Krakauskas’ daughter, agreed with her mom’s assessment.
“The colder it is, the better we do,” Ferris said. “Our slower times are in the summer — it’s not slow, but certainly slower, than wintertime.”
Although some of the other popular shops along High Street close during January and February, Old Familiar Ways has always operated as a year-round business.
“You didn’t realize things tasted so well until you tried an organic herb, where you’re eating the parts that you’re supposed to eat.” — Co-owner Kimberly Ferris
How it began
The store opened in November of 2015, and looking back on how the business got started, Ferris said her mother always had a strong interest in herbs and a knack for creativity, as well.
“She always made stuff, like soaps and lotions, for family and friends,” Ferris said. “She didn’t sell it, she just gave it away.”
Krakauskas also grows herbs in her gardens and went to school to become an herbalist and an aromatherapist.
“People would come to her when they didn’t feel good,” Ferris said. “She always had a remedy for them.”
Ferris said that she and many other people told her mom that her products were great and could be sold commercially if Krakauskas launched a business.
Although Krakauskas initially resisted all suggestions to become a business owner, Ferris helped change her mom’s mind during a visit to Fairport Harbor. Krakauskas agreed to accompany her daughter to an open house of multiple vacant buildings in the village’s downtown.
“So we came down here and this building (at 312 High St.) was available,” Ferris said. “It needed a lot of love and a lot of work. But the landlord was willing to work with us, and we renovated it. And here we are, five years later.”
Organic focus
In terms of products, Ferris said Old Familiar Ways started on a much smaller scale than what is current stocked in the store.
Today, the store features about 300 varieties of herbs, spices and powders.
“Our No. 1 top priority is to be organic, just because things are more flavorful then,” Ferris said. “They’re not overprocessed.”
Customers often comment that they taste the difference between Old Familiar Ways’ herbs, powders and spices, versus standard offerings sold at many grocery stores.
“People come in and they’ll say, ‘I tried your garlic powder. It was so strong, so potent.’ That’s because it’s organic. You’re actually get the real garlic,” Ferris said. “You didn’t realize things tasted so well until you tried an organic herb, where you’re eating the parts that you’re supposed to eat.”
Ferris said Old Familiar Ways’ chicken seasoning is “super popular,” and various herbs used in grilling also are strong sellers. Package labeling for the store’s chili flakes lists their heat index so customers know how hot this seasoning can get.
People who purchase the herbs also sometimes use them to nourish or heal their pets. Ferris said one woman bought a specific herb to give to her horse as a supplement for arthritis. Another woman bought herbs to make a homemade concoction for her goats.
Impressive variety
While the store’s array of herbs, spices and powders include common items such as cinnamon, oregano and paprika, there are other items with unusual names, such devil’s claw root, slippery elm bark powder and uva ursi.
The store’s top seller is tea, and there are 106 organic varieties of the product from which customers can choose. Old Familiar Ways sells tea that is bagged, loose leaf or comes in one-cup quantities.
The store rounds out its roster of products with items that include candles, stones, incense, essential oils. The store’s face masks, which are custom-made by Ferris, also have become popular items in the midst of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
During the initial surge of the novel coronavirus, Old Familiar Ways accepted online orders only, and would either the ship the products or offer curbside pickup.
Although customers are now welcome to come inside Old Familiar Ways to browse and make purchases, Ferris said the shop plans to upgrade its website to enhance the online shopping experience.
“We’ve been doing online (transactions) a lot lately especially since COVID happened, so we just want a better, user-friendly website than what we have right now,” she said. “So that’s in the works.”
Satisfied owners
Otherwise, the owners of Old Familiar Ways are pleased with the store they’ve established in Fairport Harbor.
“We’ve got a good landlord, we’ve got a good community and our neighbors are great,” Ferris said.
Krakauskas also spoke highly of the many people who have become loyal customers of Old Familiar Ways over the past five years.
“It’s getting to where I’m starting to know them by name,” she said.