Copper Kettle Apothecary is a small family owned business in Downtown Salida, Colorado run by Katie, Allen And Tessi Surber. 

   

 After years of employment, Katie bought the oldest apothecary in Salida and relocated from F Street to First Street. Katie is a fourth-generation Salidan who grew up gardening with her family, hunting mule deer and elk in the same locations as her great-grandpa, and gathering berries, mushrooms, and other plants from the same hillsides. Her parents, Jim and Kelly Aragon, are widely known in the community. Jim is a retired game warden, and her mother retired from selling native plants at the neighborhood greenhouse.Since 2005, Katie has been learning about herbalism. While exploring the San Isabelle National Forest, she read every book she could find on the subject and kept an eye out for the various plants. 

She has no plans to stop learning.

 

Allen's family arrived as pioneers and used horse trading to forge ties with the local Ute tribe. On his days off from working hard with his hands in construction, Allen puts on his work gloves and helps out at the store.Tessi, their daughter, is being taught to respect and take care of the land that she calls home. On their days off, they go hiking, hunting, fishing, gathering berries, wading in creeks, or gardening.

 

Tessi lends a hand (when she's not in school) by organizing the herb jars, assisting clients in finding what they need, and creating chalk art on the pavement in front.