West Second Avenue in Lexington gains new businesses
Andrea Alt, owner of The Black-Eyed Susan Apothecary at 25 W. Second Ave., offers a wide variety of vitamins and supplements as well as teas, herbs and natural remedies.
{Vikki Broughton Hodges/Davidson Local}
A vitamin-and-supplement shop and a clothing boutique are among the newest small businesses on West Second Avenue in uptown Lexington.
Andrea Alt opened Black-Eyed Susan Apothecary at 25 W. Second Ave, between Sophie’s Cork and Ale and Village Grill, in late July. The business name stems from her favorite flower.
“It’s still a work in progress but there’s nothing like it in Lexington so we wanted to fill a void in the local market,” said Alt, who has driven out of town since moving here two years go to find the vitamins, supplements, natural herbs and homeopathic medicines her own family uses.
“There’s a place for Western medicine and a place for holistic healing,” she assured. Alt first began her path into alternative remedies when one of her daughters experienced allergic reactions to many products.
The business is family-oriented with her husband, Steve Alt, helping with the renovation work, her mother watching their children as they set up shop and her brother assisting as well.
In addition to a wide variety of vitamins, the shop carries many supplements, including moringa, which is rich in nutrients and antioxidants, ashwagandha for immune system support and hyaluronic acid for joint support. There’s a broad spectrum of salves and tinctures as well as herbal teas, including matcha and hibiscus teas.
Multi-collagen protein powders for smoothies, organic flaxseeds, raw almond flour, natural salt, elderberries and nutritional yeast make up part of the product line, as well as natural soaps and loose herbs.
Alt sells crystals, incense, ear candles and a line of wooden pens, bowls and coasters from local craftsman Niels Grier.
But Black-Eyed Susan Apothecary currently uses only the front part of the 1,800-square-foot space. Future plans in the back half of the building include a juice bar and a room for either a massage therapist or esthetician who would use only natural skin care products for facials.
“I’m still learning what people want,” Alt added.
She posts information on vitamins, supplements and crystals on her Facebook page to educate people about holistic remedies and is happy to answer questions in the shop.
Black-Eyed Susan Apothecary is open from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
Another new business, a boutique called Gunpowder and Lead, opened in May inside Elite Salon, Spa and Tanning at 15 W. Second Ave. in uptown Lexington. Katie Parnell said she was talking to Jennifer Fowler, her hairstylist and the owner of Elite, about her hope to open a boutique someday.
“She said, ‘I have space,’ and that’s kind of how it started,” Parnell explained.
Katie Parnell carries Old South and Old Row brand apparel for men as well as Judy Blue and Kancan denim for women in her new boutique, Gunpowder and Lead, which is located inside Elite Salon, Spa and Tanning at 15 W. Second Ave. {Vikki Broughton Hodges/Davidson Local}
A former stay-at-home mom and mother of three children, Parnell said the Elite staff can ring up customers when she isn’t in the space herself so the partnership works well for both because salon customers enjoy shopping while waiting for their hair, tanning and spa appointments.
The name of the boutique comes from a Miranda Lambert song. Parnell originally planned to carry more Western-style clothing but has since broadened the product line to offer a mix of casual clothing, including shoes, jewelry and other accessories. She has dresses, rompers, shirts and denim, such as Judy Blue and Kancan, for women in sizes from small up to 4X.
“We try to carry a little bit of everything,” she offered.
Gunpowder and Lead carries the Old South and Old Row brands of T-shirts and sweatshirts, both made in North Carolina, for men as well as some for children. Katie’s husband, Richard Parnell, is a financial partner in the business.
Hours for the boutique are the same as the salon, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Additionally, the Parnells have launched a mobile business in a 6-foot-by-12-foot trailer that takes the clothing to special events, such as the Back to School Vendor Market on Aug. 13 at Bull City Ciderworks and Everybody’s Day in Thomasville on Sept. 24.
Keep up with Gunpowder and Lead on the store's website, Facebook and Instagram pages.
