People who have small businesses usually want theirs to become a chain and grow but

Ashley Cheney, owner of Bougie Hippie Self-Care Apothecary in the Agora Market in Downtown Harrisonburg,VA is the opposite.

 She said, “I would only want to have 2 or 3 stores at max.” Cheney used to want to be a Journalist but then she had a son in 2018. She just got hit all at once and realized that she was a mom. She wanted to start connecting with herself and not make her whole personality a mom, so she started making herbal bath salts. She started selling some and once she got good enough and people were really interested in her products she started selling at Sparrows in Harrisonburg,VA and Pyramid in Waynesboro,VA part time. Then she realized that’s what Cheney wants to do with her life and she made a small business and it grew to be a nice store that is very chill. Cheney always says, “Any time a customer walks in I want them to feel like they’re at home.” 

Cheney loves nature and her favorite thing to do is you outside. People ask Cheney why her store’s name is Bougie Hippie and the reason is because she used to wear big high heels and shirts with sequence, so her best friend started calling her Bougie Hippie. At Bougie Hippie Self-Care Apothecary she sells herbal baze, crystals, tarot cards, bugs and jewelry. Her favorite item is a moss agate that has a very nice smokey texture.

Cheney’s dream for the future is to open a store not in a market. Cheney highly recommended starting a small business.