Welcome to Salem: Hive & Forge

Hive & Forge/Red Antler Apothecary reached out to me via Instagram last week and I was happy to swing by their new location in Salem on Saturday. I had a lovely visit wandering the shop and chatting! The whole place smells so good – the handmade soaps and bath goods smell absolutely divine and it’s the first thing you notice when entering the store.

A little blurb about them via their website:
“When we got tired of feeling chained to supporting big companies that sell poison to pad their bottom line, we began to research and develop our own recipes for most daily goods. After years of practice, we were to excited to share all the fantastic and effective products that we’ve been making for friends and family. In 2013 we opened Red Antler Homesteading, Co.

Many people find relief from common skin irritations, dryness and other issues when they change to real soap and general household products made using old-world recipes, such as ours. We are proudly transparent in our practices and ingredients. The more you get to know us, the more you will love what we do. Our soap still contains the natural glycerin that comes from the saponification process (and is usually removed for secondary market purposes by industrial soap companies). We wouldn’t even consider ever using sodium lauryl or laureth sulfates (SLS/SLES), which is in most soaps, toothpastes, laundry detergents and shampoos. According to the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep research, SLS/SLES has been linked in more than a thousand studies to irritation, organ toxicity, developmental and reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, eco-toxicology, biochemical or cellular changes. We don’t use surfactants, fillers, or synthetic fragrances and dyes. Our bath and body products and household cleaners are safe in grey water systems that divert waste grey water to the garden. Clean should also be safe.”

They also allow other artists to “rent space” in their store and display their work! I loved checking out the tarot cards, unique jewelry and home decor pieces in the shop. There was a pair of earrings that caught my eye that I honestly might have to go back for – they were a long dangle that had a little piece of herkimer stone on the end.

If you’d like to see what they’re up to in their new spot in Salem, you can find them at 30 Church St. Enjoy!! <3