Fundraising Chili Feed to benefit Wytchwood Herbal Shoppe set for Sunday

WASILLA— The Wychwood Herbal Shoppe is facing possible closure after 13 years in the Valley. Owner Rhonda Garnett, a.k.a., Willow Wytch is hosting a chili feed to raise funds for the store.

Garnett isn’t acting alone. She has the help of numerous longtime customers and friends across the community.

“I worked really hard to be where I am and I do a lot of stuff for other people. Me going away is kind of detrimental to some people, including myself,” Garnett said.

Originally founded in Willow, the shop is a unique destination now found in downtown Houston. It’s a place to find all sorts of things, from handcrafted herbal remedies to custom made jewelry and other unique finds. Above all, it’s meant to be a place to heal, be it with the salves or teas or an attentive ear ready to offer advice and refuge to anyone.

“I know that it is needed,” Garnett said.

There will be a spectrum of local, homemade chilis to taste throughout the event and numerous participating chefs will even go head to head for during a chili cookoff.

There will also be a silent auction comprised of several donations from local businesses and individuals. Garnett said there will plenty of “man stuff, lady stuff and Pagan goodies” to bid on.

“We’ve got everything from crystals to a 300 dollar garage heater,” Garnett said.

Garnett said she hopes this event will help her offset the mountain of medical expenses her partner is currently facing. It’s been a huge financial strain and ultimately it’s affected her business.

She said that she really hopes she can figure out how to save the store. She said that she’s able to put this event on and been able to keep her shop going with lots of local support.

“They’ve all got something to offer. It becomes like a tribe,” Garnett said.

A longtime supporter named Stephanie Self is helping her orchestrate the event and hosting the silent auction.

“This is not just me. This is many people. They want it to be here. They have got have they need from it and they want to help me keep it going,” Garnett said. “Stephanie has always been here. She’s one of the biggest supporters,” Garnett said.

This current location is her second, moving from the original in Willow about three years ago. She’s hosted several community events and participated in local happenings like the annual parade at Houston Founder’s Day.

The event starts at 2 p.m. and wraps up at 7 p.m. For more information, call 907-892-2542 or look up “Wytchwood Herbal Shoppe” on Facebook.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com