If it hasn’t been made evident by now, we love people here at AAT! We love hearing about their stories and passions for our community, but we also love hearing about what our fellow locals do and why they do it! For example, we have some wonderful neighbors who own/manager some fantastic local businesses and serve our town tremendously by doing so! This fact is why AAT has partnered up with our good friends at B3 Glass, to bring you all “Small Business Fridays!” Each week, we’ll feature a different, local small business and talk with its owner and hear about their journey, their business in general, as well as their heart for their customers and our city!
This week, we’re joined by Andrea Shirley. Andrea and her husband Matt actually occupy a retail space with two businesses inside of it! They have Patriot Gold USA (which we may double back and chat with Matt about in a future blog) as well as In the Rough Wellness (which will be subject of this week’s feature). Since July of 2019, In the Rough Wellness has been many locals’ preferred location for CBD products, organic teas and coffees, essential oils, laundry soaps, and pet health items! We’re excited to stop by this little shop to learn more about the owners and their products.
Thank you for joining us this week, Andrea! You and Matt have called the Elko/Spring Creek area home for the last few years now. What brought you to our community?
“My husband Matt and I grew up in Oregon. We lived in the same tiny logging town our entire lives. When we got married, we told each other that when the kids graduated, we would leave and try something new. So, as soon as the kids graduated, off we went! We ended up in Cripple Creek, Colorado for three years and I worked as a cage manager for three casinos there. Eventually, that job turned into an opportunity for me to become a GM at their casinos out here [Elko], so that’s what brought us here. I was a GM for about a year before deciding I didn’t want to work in the casino industry anymore.
“At that time, we were really in a transition mode because Matt has rheumatoid arthritis, and along with work, we were trying to find a way to help him feel better. That’s how we got into CBD, and I had always been about making my own natural concoctions after dealing with different health issues from kids and not wanting to use a bunch of chemicals. We gave it a try, and it works!”
So, you tried some products and enjoyed them so much and decided to open a business selling them. How would you go on to explain the philosophy of the Rough Wellness to someone who may be hearing of it for the first time?
“We have products that make you feel better! Everything you do should be to improve not only your physical well-being but your mental well-being as well; that’s the big thing! When you start removing chemicals from your body, it does not only help your body; it puts positive thoughts in your head as you acknowledge that you’re trying to do good for yourself. This changes your outlook.”
Now, many people reading this article may still be a little hesitant to come in to visit you when they see that you sell CBD. Some may have a particular perception of what CBD is and what it does. Can you please explain some of the realities of CBD and shed some light on this topic?
“CBD is cannabis. It’s not marijuana, but it is cannabis. There are three different types of CBD. There’s an isolate that has zero THC, broad-spectrum, which can contain up to point zero-five percent THC, and full-spectrum, which can contain up to point three percent THC. They don’t leave the THC molecules in there to give psychoactive effects; you’re not going to get buzzed or high. They leave the THC in to affect all your receptors in your endocannabinoid system to provide a full-body healing effect. This all helps in areas such as inflammation, pain management, and anxiety. I had one gentleman come in because his oncologist told him before his surgery and told him to start on this because his body couldn’t take the pharmaceuticals.”
It seems like CBD can be used to help many individuals in different ways; is it affordable for the average person to obtain?
“Once we became wholesalers, we wondered why others are charging so much money for these products! Is it just because this is the new thing? It just wasn’t right. So, we stay affordable. We sell at or below what our suppliers sell online. That’s important to us because what’s the point of having the business if people can’t afford it? Just because we live in this town doesn’t mean prices for things here need to be jacked up. We’re not here looking to build a house on the hill; we just came across something that changed our lives. It’s such a rewarding feeling to expose people to something we found that’s amazing!”
Wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing your story, some educating insight, and your business with us this week! Is there anything else you’d like to say before we let you go?
“I want people to feel comfortable when they come in, and I want people to know that what we sell here is affordable. We want everyone who comes in to feel better; that’s the main thing, and there are so many things in here that can do that. We want people to feel better because we do, and we know these things can change your life.”
You can stay caught up on everything going on around here at AAT by checking out our “Stay Connected” page! Make sure you never miss a feature!
If you would like to submit a FREE entry for The Around Town Bulletin Board, simply email us anthonyaroundtown@gmail.com
See you around, Elko!
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