Jessica Lance opened Bewitching Botanicals in Auburn right before the pandemic took hold. She had started selling her wares at vendor fairs a couple of months before she opened up the brick-and-mortar location in mid-December of 2019. "After such a tumultuous time the past two years, going through a global pandemic together, we're trying to put a little pizzazz back in everyone's lives," says Lance.
Lance helps decorate for events and hosts them at the shop, which is a historical building that used to house a grocery and hardware store. An Auburn native, Lance lives with her husband and five children just a couple of blocks away from the store on the town square. "I love the small-town charm. I really enjoy getting to know my clientele and my neighbors," she says.
Bewitching Botanicals sells a variety of skin-care products that Lance makes herself. "All of my products are made with USDA-certified organic ingredients. I don't use any artificial components." The products include bath bombs, body scrubs and lotions. Lance also carries items from other small businesses that you won't find in big-box stores, from children's toys, to cleaning products to clothing for a variety of ages.
Lance has a robust website for her business, which has a staff of five employees. Because of the pandemic, she initially had to change her focus. "I had to completely shift my entire business model from in-store to 100% e-commerce," she said. Now, the shop continues to sell goods online while also welcoming customers to come check out the items for themselves.
