Noel Samu, a certified accountant originally from Zimbabwe, has dreamed of owning a retail business to build equity for his family. Through recent years of research, he focused on opening a franchise of Natural Life because of its story of helping people access a range of plant-based medicines.
Natural Life founder Gabriel Suarez had wanted to help others manage ailments with alternative approaches after his youngest brother suffered terribly from juvenile arthritis, and CBD turned out to provide life-altering relief. Suarez has since created what is now a chain of 22 stores, the newest of which is Samu’s, hosting a grand opening celebration on December 9, 11AM-4PM, at 807 Washington Street in Newtonville.
Samu signed the franchising agreement eighteen months ago and focused on finding funding, a location, and employees. He had hoped to open in Newton – a community he found to be energetic, open-minded, and progressive – but he could not find a location. He searched also in Cambridge, Lexington, and Framingham, but when a local real estate agent told him about a two-term lease at 807 Washington Street in Newtonville, he snapped it up, hoping that during that short time he could build a brand and customer base in time to find another location.
Samu feels fortunate to have hired Addison Schade as full-time manager. She was involved in setting up the Natural Life location in Boston and contacted him, aiming to manage a Natural Life shop.
Natural Life’s product lines include a range of edibles and tinctures containing THC and CBD, but the store also sells products derived from other plants that are used around the world with the aim to reduce pain and inflammation, enhance relaxation, boost mood and energy, improve immune function, or enhance health in other ways. Some of the plants include the Southeast Asian shrub katom, Hawaiian kava root, the South African succulent kanna, and a variety of fungi. In addition to ingestible products, the store also offers a range of oils and lotions, and many product lines exist in formulations for both humans and pets.
Samu emphasizes that Natural Life is not a dispensary but rather a shop focused on wellness.
Many of these remedies will be relatively new to Newton customers, and Natural Life’s staff sees part of its mission to be customer education. Samu notes that, like all herbal supplements, Natural Life’s products should be used responsibly, in ways that are tailored to each person’s specific health needs and situation. He hopes that the Newton store will become like others in the chain — a community gathering place where individuals interested in holistic medicine can connect, share experiences, and learn from one another. Natural Life has established a physician liaison program, staffed by individuals with significant health care industry experience to coordinate with community physicians who want to learn more about holistic, plant-based products that can work in concert with traditional medical practice.
As part of the store’s grand opening celebration on December 9, there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony at 11:30AM with giveaways. The first 20 customers will receive a free gift bag from Slumber, and there will be raffles throughout the day with a $250 gift card as the grand prize. There will also be music, food, and educational seminars.
“We are excited to open our store in the wonderful community of Newton,” said Samu. “We look forward to providing customers with high quality, trustworthy health and wellness products.”
