A Brief History of the many iterations and locations of Anarres:
1999 - Out on the land near Algonquin Park, I planned my escape from social work to be called Anarres Natural Health, named after the Anarchist planet in my favourite book, Ursula K. LeGuin's The Disposessed.
2005 - I study at Jan Benham's Institute of Aromatherapy, School of Holistic Studies. I work as the Manager of Homeless and Disaster Ops for the Red Cross.
2006 - In February my youngest is born. In April, I become a Certified Natural Health Practitioner, and begin my home practice Anarres Natural Health Consulting. I offer body care treatments and programs, and a handful of products that I make. As I custom formulate, I create a line of products.
2007 - I complete the Self Employment Benefits Program.
2008 - I am struck by the door of a delivery truck, separating my pelvis, sustaining a skull fracture and 5 herniated discs. Missed at the time was a neck fracture that has cause permanent damage in my arms and hands. I immediately begin teaching workshops and selling essential oils, ingredients and packaging to my new DIY clients. I also bring into Canada alternatives to hormonal contraceptives.
2011 - Anarres Natural Health outgrows my home's living room, and I move to a house on Dovercourt Road where my housemate and I renovate the ground floor just for Anarres. I expand my offerings of alternatives to plastics, nowadays called Zero Waste, complete my website and build a mail order business.
2013 - Anarres Natural Health outgrows the ground floor of the house on Dovercourt, and I rent the storefront at Dovercourt and Bloor, the first Anarres Apothecary. I carry many good things like Stefani Water Purifiers and ChocoSol.
2018 - Anarres Apothecary is forced out by a doubling of the rent and halving of the space by new owners, the condo developers Timber Creek. I rent the storefront nearby on Bloor. It's many times the size and many times the cost!
2020 - COVID strikes, and Anarres endures numerous attacks and curbside-only lockdowns because of anti masker complaints. The City inspector ignores the fact that Anarres sells 5 categories of essential goods: medical devices, foods, body care, wellness products and cleaning supplies and orders us closed many times.
2023 - The lease is up and the rent required is 30% more. A chiropractor and a doctor compete by offering the landlord $300,000 to $500,000 in renovations! The Hermit's Lamp leaves early. I renovate a utility building in a laneway off Dovercourt, between a shop that makes iron railings, and a little woods of fruit trees - plums, apples, cherries, apricot and berries! Anarres Studio is born!