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Thanks to Netflix, this interior designer opened up his own apothecary in Bellport

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Bellport Apothecary is bringing its lotions, potions, and spa essentials to Bellport. 

The store located at 151 South Country Road is inspired by the Rose Apothecary store from the TV show “Schitt’s Creek” — owner Giovanni Naso’s favorite quarantine binge Netflix watch.

“I was watching the show and laughing and then I thought, ‘You know what? An apothecary is what this town needs,’” Naso said of Bellport.

The interior designer and his design assistant Sharon Munson worked out of the former Celadon Home storefront for eight years, selling home decor and furniture, before deciding to turn the space into an apothecary. 

Naso and Munson completely renovated the 100-year-old building and used their design expertise to decorate the black and white space — all while keeping and exposing the original ceilings. 

“Before we even shifted to this, I always spoke with Sharon about essential oils and natural things and crystals, and we’re really still incorporating the home decor items,” Naso said.

All of the products sold at Bellport Apothecary are organic and come from small businesses based on Long Island and other parts of the country.

Some of these all-natural products include fragrances, essential oils, jarred honey, soaps, hair products, skincare, and cleaning products. 

“All these little mom-and-pops have stories,” Naso said. “It’s very personal; they’re little businesses and we are representing them here in an apothecary form.”

The front of the store also has a little market where patrons can grab a sweet treat, coffee, cappuccino, or espresso. 

The apothecary carries apparel as well, such as high-end clothing from Italy, spa-based items like robes, and Bellport Apothecary t-shirts, aprons, and masks.

“One shelf makes the next shelf more appealing, and we have lots more tricks up our sleeves we would like to bring in here eventually,” Munson said. “We want to give people an experience and make them feel like they’re walking into a feel-good spot.”

The duo, who both live in Bellport, call the town “a slice of heaven” and love it for its quaint and historical aesthetic, which is why they wanted to put an apothecary right in the heart of it.

Bellport Apothecary had a soft opening on May 28 and Naso says they are planning to have a grand opening later this month.

Only a week after being open, Munson says that the community response has already been “an outpouring of acceptance and appreciation.”

“It’s the perfect gift place, the perfect escape place, a feel-special place, a pamper-yourself place,” Munson said. “The response from the public has solidified that this was the right decision to make and this was what the people wanted, and they didn’t even know they wanted it.”

Check out photos of Bellport Apothecary below.

(Top: Giovanni Naso and Sharon Munson outside of Bellport Apothecary.)

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