A botanica and apothecary opens on Main Street in Hamilton

Arius and Phos, an apothecary and botanica sharing space inside Seraph by the River at 118 Main St. in Hamilton, is now open for business. Owner Isaac Reed (pictured) said the store has everything for one's mystical needs, from teas and candles to tarot cards and books. MICHAEL D. PITMAN/STAFF

Credit: Michael D. Pitman

Credit: Michael D. Pitman

Arius and Phos, an apothecary and botanica sharing space inside Seraph by the River at 118 Main St. in Hamilton, is now open for business. Owner Isaac Reed (pictured) said the store has everything for one's mystical needs, from teas and candles to tarot cards and books. MICHAEL D. PITMAN/STAFF
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Isaac Reed had a long-held dream to open his own botanica, and Monday afternoon he officially opened Arius and Phos on Main Street.

The storefront shares a third of the space of Seraph by the River at 118 Main St., and he “serves all the mystical needs, from body, mind and spirit.” That includes a “full apothecary of herbs that you can use, or anything you feel like you’re going to need to be mystical for your life.”

Reed started out making candles in 2009, something he still loves creating. He has candles for various needs and purposes, and he’ll even create specialized intention candles which can be in honor of someone or a pet.

Arius and Phos, an apothecary and botanica sharing space inside Seraph by the River at 118 Main St. in Hamilton, is now open for business. Owner Isaac Reed said the store has everything for one's mystical needs, from teas and candles to tarot cards and books. MICHAEL D. PITMAN/STAFF

Credit: Michael D. Pitman

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Credit: Michael D. Pitman

His end-goal when he started out was to open a full botanica shop, but over the years he said he “kept dropping the ball.” In 2022, he was set to open his shop, and launched the Witches Market, a May-to-October metaphysical farmers’ market around the Butler County Courthouse. He invited various venders, such as tarot card readers, crystal vendors, book sellers and jewelry makers. When the second-ever market grew from 13 to 35 vendors, he was faced with the decision: keep the market or open his shop.

He kept the market (and there are markets in Milford and Covington, Kentucky), again putting his business on the back-burner, but he had helped scores of small businesses throughout the region.

Now, his business is on the front-burner.

The Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce and city of Hamilton helped celebrate the ribbon cutting of Arius and Phos. Taylor Stone-Welch, with the city’s economic development department, said before the Monday afternoon ribbon cutting he’s known Reed for several years, seeing the growth of the Witches Market and “is excited to see what’s next.”

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Arius and Phos, an apothecary and botanica sharing space inside Seraph by the River at 118 Main St. in Hamilton, is now open for business. Owner Isaac Reed said the store has everything for one's mystical needs, from teas and candles to tarot cards and books. Pictured is the ribbon cutting outside the shop on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. MICHAEL D. PITMAN/STAFF

Credit: Michael D. Pitman

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Credit: Michael D. Pitman

A third of the front of Seraph by the River will be Arius and Phos, with the plan of growing more into the space.

“My thing has always been helping small businesses, but now I guess it’s my turn as a small business,” Reed said. “I want to help people understand that pharmaceutical medications are fantastic, but there are other alternatives that can help you spiritually because it’s not just about physical, it’s about spiritual.”

And while prescription and over-the-counter medications can help treat a cold or sinus infection, Reeds said it’s a spiritual thing “going on with the physical and the mental.”

“I’m not here to replace any doctor, I’m not here to replace a pharmacy, either, because that’s not going to happen, but giving people additional tools,” he said.

Arius and Phos is open six days a week (closed Wednesdays). The store is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

Arius and Phos, an apothecary and botanica sharing space inside Seraph by the River at 118 Main St. in Hamilton, is now open for business. Owner Isaac Reed said the store has everything for one's mystical needs, from teas and candles to tarot cards and books. MICHAEL D. PITMAN/STAFF

Credit: Michael D. Pitman

icon to expand image

Credit: Michael D. Pitman

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Michael D. Pitman has been a reporter in southwest Ohio since 1999. He's covered local governments in Warren and Butler counties, as well as state and national issues. He currently covers the cities of Fairfield and Hamilton.