New Medina business promotes health with herbs, teas

Photos by Tom Rivers – Bonnie Heck, owner of the Herbalty Cottage, stands by the tea bar in her new business at 415 Main St. Heck and her family renovated a former insurance office to create the new space for Herbalty Cottage.

MEDINA – Bonnie Heck and her daughter Lindsay know the power of organic food and all-natural ingredients for better health.

Heck, the owner of the new Herbalty Cottage in downtown Medina, was injured in a car accident about seven years ago. She struggled to get out of bed for weeks.

Visits to chiropractor helped her regain movement and ease pain. Heck said she discovered newfound energy once she ate all-natural foods that were organic with no preservatives and additives.

Her daughter Lindsay, 19, has Fibromyalgia, a syndrome that causes fatigue, sleep problems and chronic muscle pain. Lindsay has managed the condition with a healthy diet and yoga exercises every day.

The mother and daughter are sharing some of their insights and some of the food, teas, and other products they’ve discovered at the new business at 415 Main St. Herbalty Cottage opened on Tuesday following major renovations of a former insurance office.

“Why not be proactive before anything happens?” Mrs. Heck said in urging healthier lifestyles.

Lindsay Heck is pictured with some of oils and vinegars that include the Herbalty Cottage label. Lindsay, 19, is becoming certified in reflexology.

Bonnie Heck describes the business as “a specialty shop with a unique taste.” Herbalty has a tea bar for drinking the many organic teas, and a tasting station where customers can dip freshly made bread into oils and vinegars.

Heck has 38 flavors of oil and vinegar that have the Herbalty logo. She also sells organic pasta, and a variety of syrups, salves and tinctures.

“We don’t have anything like this around here,” she said about the business. “We’re unique. Everything is organic. It’s a different type of product line for downtown.”

Herbalty also sells Himalayan salt lamps to reduce air pollution and stress. Heck also carries a line of all-natural lotions made by Terri Jordan of Carlton, who runs a business called “The Soap Cottage.”

Lindsay Heck, left, and her mother Bonnie opened a new business on Tuesday in downtown Medina.

Lindsay is working on becoming certified in reflexology, where she massages hands, feet, the ears and face. She will have an office at Herbalty to work with her clients.

Her mother also is becoming certified as a herbologist.

The family business also includes Tom Heck, Bonnie’s husband and Lindsay’s father. He is recently retired from the state Department of Transportation. He did many of the renovations, including tearing out the carpet and installing a new vinyl floor. Tom also handles labeling and shipping for the business.

Herbalty is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.