Karyn Schwartz's Capitol Hill modern apothecary SugarPill has something for everyone, and she promises you don't have to know — or even want to know — anything about natural medicine to visit.

"We offer an amazing variety of herbal remedies from small, independent medicine makers who we trust, our own line of house-blended herbal teas," she said," and we do custom blending of teas and tinctures right here in the shop."

Schwartz said that the staff is incredibly knowledgeable and trustworthy within their different realms of expertise, doing all they can to guide customers on their own journeys of healing and discovery.

Schwartz grew up not far from NYC and moved to Seattle in 1989. Her very first job involved cooking at the original Globe Cafe, four blocks from where SugarPill is now, and where she found her "original sense of community right here in the Gayborhood."

"In the early 90s, I worked in social services as a domestic violence advocate, volunteered as a cook with the nascent Chicken Soup Brigade at the height of the AIDS crisis and simultaneously studied massage and herbal medicine," she said, "which is how I ended up working behind the counter in apothecaries. I found that I loved being available in this kind of public, over-the-counter setting much more than being in private practice — and that's why I eventually opened my own shop, right here in the heart of my original Seattle community, about 11 years ago."

The best thing about owning a shop is not selling anything she doesn't like, Schwartz said, and getting to switch things up as she meets interesting people making products she can personally stand behind.

"Currently, I am in love with some of the non-alcoholic aperitifs that we have in the shop, such as Ghia and Pathfinder, and always the herbal sparkling water infusions from one of my longtime favorite companies, Dram," she said. "There are some brand-new, truly gorgeous incense from local perfumer Blackbird and some new magical potions and sprays from my marvelous colleague, Fern, who is here at the shop most Tuesdays and Wednesdays."

She also just brought in about a dozen new honey varietals from around the world, in addition to favorite local honeys from Survivor Bee (to satisfy her lifelong obsession with bees and honey).

Schwartz believes that any brick-and-mortar shop, just by being open, in person, in a neighborhood, has the potential of fostering community.

"I think a lot of people have only recently realized how important that is, in the wake of the pandemic," she said. "As they not only were unable to go to their favorite places but also saw so many of them have to shut their doors forever. There is no underestimating the value of being recognized by the strangers that you see every day at your favorite coffee shop, or the exchange of stories and news that you have with the person at your favorite little local boutique, or the recommendations that your local bookseller makes for you because they know what you like to read — not because they are made of algorithms, but because they have talked to you between the shelves for years."

When SugarPill was one of the only places on the block you could visit in person during "different moments of the rolling waves of this nightmare," Schwartz said, "it was so clear what a deep and visceral need people have just to talk to someone in person and not over a screen, and how important that kind of casual, day-to-day connection that little shops and restaurants and other street-level spaces provide for communities — and how much we suffer when they disappear."

Because of the intimate conversations they often have with customers, Schwartz sees how they exist as an immediate touchstone for so many, just by virtue of how well they know their neighborhood and what they provide.

"It's a real honor to listen to and to hold so many people's stories — for me, now over generations with some families — and we stay here precisely so that we can continue to be that center of gravity," she said.

Seasonally, Schwartz loves offering Mystery Grab Bags. Since the shop is so tiny, she must get rid of something in order to bring in something new (even if she loves it). She's not into "sale" baskets or "clearance" tables, where perfectly fine items get picked over and somehow seem less fabulous. Instead, she creates collections of items that are running low or are no longer seasonally relevant and combines them in opaque brown bags. The items sell for half or less than their original price.

"Right now, we have some that contain over $300 worth of treasures for just $100 — and even though there are smaller ones, these are always the first to go," she said.

Schwartz's favorite thing about living and owning a business in Seattle is her own sense of belonging to a community.

"Seattle was a much more livable city when I arrived here," she said, "and to be honest, I am not sure I would move here now if I was 22, with just one suitcase and a couple of hundred bucks and one acquaintance —which is what I did when I came here. But — because I have been here for so much of my life, my roots here are deep, and I owe my survival through my own hard times to the fact that my community has supported me when I needed it the most."

"Without a doubt," she said, "one of the reasons that SugarPill is still standing two years into this pandemic is because we were here in person, serving our community as best we could, at a time when people really needed that connection. For me, just the ability to be here in person and not feel isolated myself has been an incredible gift — and has made every sleepless night wondering if we would survive just a little bit easier."

She sincerely hopes that people don't forget their local businesses while trying to return to some sense of "normalcy."

"It's more important than ever to keep your resources flowing towards the neighborhood and community establishments you value the most," she said. "For though we might have survived the first two years of the pandemic, most of us have had to go to great lengths to just keep the doors open, and many of us are still on the verge of disappearing, even as things seem to be more open."

Schwartz believes that patience, understanding and a kind word go a long way in keeping everyone willing to work this hard just to stay here.

"And just as importantly," she said, "we need people to spend their money at their local businesses, rather than give in to the constant convenience but completely false economy of online behemoths that siphon resources away from communities and enrich only the already richest of all."

Corinne Whiting is a freelance writer for Seattle Refined. Follow her work and adventures on Instagram.

Want all the latest on dining, fashion, travel, events, and more delivered straight to your inbox? Subscribe to receive exclusive newsletters and special offers from Seattle Refined! Enter your email address below to receive the latest updates.