Neighbourhood herbal remedy shop

Local residents interested in natural wellness, home tea drinkers, home cooks and people looking for gifts.

Retail sales of herbs by weight and packaged products. Many shops add workshops, gift sets and a loyalty card to bring people back.

• Knowing herbs and natural products well
• Friendly, careful customer service
• Stock control and ordering
• Basic bookkeeping

• Health Canada rules: check that packaged remedies carry a Natural Product Number (NPN) or similar approval
• Do not make medical claims you cannot support, and check what you may say about herbs
• If you blend or repackage products yourself, check whether extra licensing or food rules apply
• Commercial general liability insurance and a municipal business licence
• Some herbs can interact with medications, so train staff to point customers to their doctor or pharmacist
• In Quebec, check French-language signage and labelling rules
• Rent and stock tie up money before you have steady sales

Startup costs are estimates, typically around $25,000 to $80,000, depending on premises, fit-out and opening stock. Rent and stock tie up money before you have steady sales, so plan for that cash gap.

Check that packaged remedies carry a Natural Product Number (NPN) or similar approval under Health Canada rules, and avoid medical claims you cannot support. Also check licensing if you blend or repackage, plus insurance and a municipal business licence.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated around $6,000 to $30,000, depending on location, range and customer traffic. These are revenue figures, not profit, and rent and stock costs come out of them. Plan for at least 30 hours a week.