Today we’d like to introduce you to Kinsey Rosene.
Kinsey, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started studying herbal medicine formally 4 years ago. I had an interest in alternative medicine since I was young, and grew up in a household that practiced holistic health. After many years struggling with my own health and not finding solutions the traditional route, I decided to go to school to learn more about healing the whole body and incorporating herbal medicine. I signed up with one of the best programs in the area at Commonwealth Center for Holistic Herbalism in Brookline with the intention of learning more in order to heal my own body, and so my love affair began. Since I have studied at Thyme Herbal with Brittany Nickerson at her beautiful property in Western MA and online with The Herbal Academy based in Bedford, MA. Having Crose Nest gives me the opportunity to work with a variety of plants on a daily basis and my customers and staff are constantly teaching me new ways of working with the plants, a perfect classroom for the curious herbalist. During my studies I realized that this connection with plants is innate in all of us. Whether in small ways or deeper connections, plants can light a spark in us that encourages curiosity, passion, respect and empowerment. I wanted to find a way to offer this experience to my community in a safe and welcoming environment. This is how the idea for a piece of Crose Nest came about. Crose Nest came to fruition soon after its conception. In fact, we found the space and then designed the store. Not the most conventional way of starting a business but when we found Mill No5 I just knew it was time to start the business I had always wanted, and so the process of deciding who we were began! For those who have not been, Mill No5 is a beautifully renovated floor of an old textile mill in historic Lowell, MA. It is home to a variety of independently owned small businesses, an independent movie theatre and an award winning coffee house. It was the perfect place to start a business, so I decided to get to work designing one. A few months later we were open and have had a wonderful response from our community. We celebrate our 2 year anniversary in May and have expanded twice in that time, still at Mill No5 and hoping to have more locations in the future.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I think with any small business “smooth road” is not a term used often, however I would say that my experience has been filled with more encouraging moments than discouraging. I started very small and with my own menial savings. Not having cash flow to start meant thrifting together many of the pieces of my business and having to be patient with the process. Not being able to have perfect fixtures, a beautiful website, or an enormous stock of goods meant being creative in developing the vision of Crose Nest. It also taught me that even the smallest seed can grow, and not every business needs to be an “overnight” success to still be a success! I struggle most with the idea of what a successful business looks like and getting stuck comparing myself to other businesses. This can cause me to find myself in a real rut, but I try to revisit my personal goals and goals for being a community-driven operation. Questions I ask myself in time of doubt are: Am I happy with the amount of personal space I have from my business? Am I offering a safe and inclusive space for my community? Do I have good relationships with my vendors? Are my staff happy and fulfilled by their work here? These questions help me stay grounded and put one foot in front of the other.
Please tell us about Crose Nest.
Crose Nest is a Herbal Boutique that offers an interactive shopping experience for those interested in a holistic lifestyle. We have multiple workstations in our space that invite you to create teas, bath soaks, face masks and a variety of other herbal preparations. We also host monthly workshops with a herbal medicine making night offered most New Moons and a paint night with local artist Amanda Atkins hosted on the Full Moon of each month. We invite and host many local herbalists and artists for a variety of workshops throughout the year. Our most visited and notable feature is our DIY herbal station. We call it our “Botanical Pharmacopoeia” a term used for a book with medicinal plant preparations and also translates to “the art of making drugs out of plants”. We thought it was a fun way to describe our herbal apothecary and workstation (complete with multiple mortar and pestle) while setting us apart as a space not just for purchasing ingredients but for creating and learning as well. We have recipes to choose from if you are looking for a guided experience but also offer a reference library if you want to dig in and do some research on your own, creating new recipes is highly encouraged! Many of my staff are trained in herbalism and are there to guide you if needed. Our customers are always saying that the experience of blending their own product feels empowering, which always brings a smile to our face. A key component of Crose Nest is the selection of goods for your home, body and spirit. We focus on small-batch American artists and makers with special attention to those just getting started. We love to “nest” new artists and see them grow as we share their work with our community. Our goods include handmade jewelry, ceramics, stationary, books and zines, candles, smudges and incense. We also offer many botanical products made in small batches with organic and wild crafted ingredients that showcase the art of plant remedies. You will find a variety of plants for the home and garden from the exotic to the more common, all grown right here in Massachusetts in addition to a selection of minerals and crystals from around the world. Basically everything you need to create a space filled with good vibes.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I haven’t changed much throughout the years, with a healthy if not obsessive interest in nature from the moment I came earthside I think it was to no one’s surprise I have chosen a path that involves working with plants. I grew up in a pretty nomadic family. Moving around a lot I spent time in the countryside of Colorado, in the deserts of Arizona and in the hill country of Texas. I was born in the mossy city of Portland, OR I haven’t changed much throughout the years, with a healthy if not obsessive interest in nature from the moment I came earthside I think it was to no one’s surprise I have chosen a path that involves working with plants. I grew up in a pretty nomadic family. Moving around a lot I spent time in the countryside of Colorado, in the deserts of Arizona and in the hill country of Texas. I was born in the mossy city of Portland, OR and even spent time in Missouri. I think being exposed to so many environments sparked a connection with Nature, often my first friend upon arrival to a new place. It also encouraged me to become involved in my community, not having a “safe bubble” to reside in. I grew up finding myself in many volunteer positions, from working with people to animals I have always had an interest in giving back, and have found this is a great way to feel at home even when you are constantly the “new kid”! Having always loved being with animals and plants I am constantly assessing my relationship with both, trying to achieve a balance and respect with how utilize these gifts in my personal life. I am an avid forager and can talk your ear off about the different fungi throughout the woods by my house. With an outgoing personality, I find myself constantly probing for more information and a better understanding of the world around me. This has always led me to work closely with people, nature and animals. I love the feeling of witnessing someone feel empowered by their own connection to nature. I have a background in non-profit work, delivering nature programs to at-risk populations, and this experience helped me realize how important the “discovery” process is. Many times we take our passion for something and want to preach it to the world, but sometimes it is more powerful to offer an opportunity to someone and allow them to realize their own passion and then watch them run with it. I love being able to give back to my community, and have learned from sharing in many communities throughout my life that listening needs to be a big part of participation. Creating promotions, events and opportunities based on the feedback we get from our valued customers is a way for me to stay connected to my philanthropist roots. I think having a small business creates an obligation to give back to the community that supports you, we strive to stay connected and involved in every way we can. Combining all of my interests into a dream job has been such a fulfilling experience. Growing up I felt I lacked focus, that my interests were scattered and unrefined. I have only learned in my thirties that this was a great talent of mine, to collect knowledge and experience in a wide variety of fields so one day they could create a magical little store with a lot to offer!
Contact Info:
- Address: 250 Jackson St Lowell, MA 01852
- Website: crosenest.com
- Phone: 832-790-7388
- Email: crosenestcollective@gmail.com
- Instagram: @crosenestcollective
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/crosenest/
Image Credit:
Lizzy Affa- Horizontal Portrait Pizutti Photography- Full length portrait
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