Meet Danielle Noe of Wild Terra in Highland Park

Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Noe.

Danielle, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I ended up in Los Angeles to work in the film industry as a special fx makeup artist about 17 years. I fell in love with California while exploring its beautiful landscapes and I wanted to know more about the plants I was meeting. I also became interested in living a more sustainable lifestyle, cleaning up my eating habits, and taking my health back into my own hands. Herbalism was a natural path. After years of self-study and various apprenticeships, I was finding a lack of resources in Los Angeles. I would often travel for work and find the local herb shops so I could stock up before returning. I realized that if I wanted to have the herb store of my dreams in Los Angeles, I would have to open one myself. It all came together very quickly and fast forward 2 1/2 years, I couldn’t be happier with how Wild Terra has evolved and continues to serve the community.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has never been a smooth road, but I didn’t expect it to be. Wild Terra is my first business and starting a brick and mortar store in California is tough. Licenses, fees, and the many legal obligations are a nightmare. I didn’t have business loans or investors and I did things I never dreamed I would, like creating architectural plans, pouring concrete, and building furniture all to stay within my budget. I’ve probably broken down a dozen times and wanted to give up. COVID has thrown in unexpected struggles this year, but I try to move forward and draw on the positives. I know there will always be bumps along the way, but every time a customer was helped by herbs or enjoyed their new tea, it makes it all worth it.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Wild Terra story. Tell us more about the business.
Wild Terra is a community apothecary offering a large selection of bulk organic and wildcrafted medicinal herbs, tea, and spices. You will also find local honey, handcrafted and fair trade gifts, tea accessories, books, house made tinctures, bulk oils, bulk body care products, and more. It’s a DIY heaven. We work with several small US farms and local artisans to source the best quality sustainable products possible while offering affordable prices for the community.

Before COVID, we offered workshops nearly every weekend on a range of subjects including herbal medicine making, fermentation, mushrooms, women’s health, Ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine, and wild foods. We look forward to resuming classes sometime next year.

One of my goals for Wild Terra was to make herbal medicine accessible to a broader audience. Herb shops are often stuffed with crystals, candles, and hold the stigma of being for new age hippies. We have some customers that come in for spices or tea and see our herb wall and want to know more. Many have signed up for classes and are now budding herbalists!

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I’m not sure I believe in luck. I do believe that I have embraced the good opportunities presented to me and made the best of bad situations.

Contact Info:

• Address: 5858 N Figueroa St
  Los Angeles, CA 90042
• Website: wildterra.la
• Phone: 323-739-9300
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: instagram.com/wildterra.la
• Facebook: facebook.com/wildterra.la
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/wild-terra-los-angeles

Image Credit:
The photo of me tossing a bowl of herbs and the photo of me standing in my store are by Linda Pianigiani Photography.

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