Kirsten Norgaard was born and raised in Astoria. Now, she lives here with her husband of 15 years and their two kids. Kirsten also owns Kit’s Apothecary, located at 1168 Commercial Street Suite 204. Her journey to business owner started with a diagnoses of her son.
When he son was diagnosed with a rare medical condition – so rare that even the specialists struggled with it – Kirsten began to do her own research. “I was the one who needed to know,” she explained.
Later, when she was diagnosed with her own illness and once again found herself struggling with the medical community, she was accustomed to doing intensive medical research. “The medical community failed me,” she explained. “They just threw pills at me and it wasn’t working.” Her doctor would not run the tests that Kirsten wanted, so she went to get another opinion from a functional medicine practitioner.
As her dissatisfaction with her medicine grew, she started making products for herself to help relieve her pain. Eventually close friends and family started requesting products from her. It got to the point where she was starting to get calls from strangers requesting these products. During this time she was trained as a health coach. She started a Facebook group and her business, Kit’s Apothecary, took off from there.
Kirsten’s products were so effective that she was able to return to her pain management clinic and tell them that she didn’t need to come in anymore. “I was able to fire them,” she said. She started with LVC- Liposomal Vitamin C, something she created to help her son and has found it to be effective for almost everything. “It gives you more energy, it keeps you healthy, it’s just great.” Her other starter product was a pain creme. She knew that she could make something better and cheaper than what she got at the doctor’s office. Now she has products for all types of pain, including a new product called Liposomal Gold that helps with inflammation. This product took her two years to develop.
In addition to these products, Kirsten also has a variety of other products. She makes her own hand soap, germ spray, mouth rinse, acne sticks and other skin care products. All of her products are made with organic and natural ingredients. “We are exposed to too many chemicals every day,” she remarked. “I don’t want those chemicals in my products.”
Kirsten tests all of her products on herself. Currently, she is working on a shampoo to help hair regrow after an illness.
Kirsten understands what it is like to switch from pills to this type of medicine. “I have found ways to make these treatments effective faster to keep up with the pills,” she said. In her search for, and creation of, natural products that can keep up with pills Kirsten developed what she calls her “accidental apothecary”. She became so busy developing products and working with people that she had to quit her other jobs.
In addition to selling products she provides health coaching. Kirsten focuses on functional medicine and wants to help people in our community who are ready for a change in their health care. “If you have a symptom, you need to figure out what is causing that to happen,” she explained.
As her business took off she needed a space to operate out of. She opened a store at 1168 Commercial Street Suite 204 in December 2017. “Just follow the sunflowers up the stairs and you’ll find the space,” she directed. Currently, Kirsten is open to the public on Saturdays and will be at the Sunday Market this spring and summer. She conducts health coaching sessions during the week. You can purchase her products in her store or online. Her store is open for the Second Saturday Art Walk each month to display her sister’s, Erika Hawkins, artwork.
If you go in for a visit, Kirsten recommends visiting her neighbors. Muse is a cosmetics store, makeup artistry, and photo studio. Space Studios is an artist studio space and creative boutique. Both businesses are owned by local women.
Kit’s Apothecary
1168 Commercial Street Suite 204
Astoria
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
