LaGRANGE – The Herb Shoppe is busy for week day afternoon, as some girls browse bath bombs and other possible Mother’s Day gifts while the shop owner helps a woman find what she needs and a man loiters by the supplements.

According to the shop owner, Laura Barrera, the shop is usually gets quiet as summer approaches, but as the only place in town that sells some of the products it carries, the shop which has been at its downtown location since December 2012 has found its own niche within the community.

“I like LaGrange because it is a good sense of community,” said Barrera. “Everybody is supportive. … I like the downtown area. I think it is important that small towns have a vibrant downtown, and if I can do my part to bring in people to this part of LaGrange then I’m glad to do it.”

Barerra has seen the city explode with new business and more people in recent years and was grateful to be able to be a small part of that by helping the people who come to her shop. What she is passionate about though is helping people who find themselves with more health questions than answers, much like she was when she first became interested in herbs for health.

“I got into natural health because of my own health,” said Barrera. “I was very sick with digestive issues and chronic fatigue, and nothing was helping. I drove past the herb shop in Newnan one day, and said, ‘Oh, I’m going in,’ and that is where my journey started. So, it has been about 17 or 18 years now.”

Barrera worked at an herb shop in Newnan for 7 years before coming to LaGrange to open her own business. During those years, she learned about herbs and hopes that even people who are relatively healthy will come by her shop.

“Everything can do something for prevention,” she said. If they are not sick or dealing with some kind of illness there are plenty of things you can do for prevention. Unfortunately, we don’t get everything that we need from our food and supplementing is necessary.”

Barrera is a believer in herbs as part of a diet much like fruits and vegetables and expressed excitement about the growing trend of people once again growing and eating their own vegetables at home.

The Herb Shoppe is located at 130 Bull Street and is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday  through Friday and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.