Personal story of survival motivates this new Dublin retailer
By Tristan Navera – Staff reporter, Columbus Business First Jun 12, 2019, 2:40pm EDT Updated Jun 12, 2019, 2:55pm EDTA new cosmetics shop in Dublin offers a host of natural products and a social mission for a northeast Ohio business owner. Andrea Carter and her husband Larry opened LaDrea in a 1,100-square-foot space at 6562 Longshore St. a few weeks ago. The shops sells bath and body products such as body oils, lotions, bath bombs, and other skin care products, all of which are made using natural oils and ingredients.
Walking through the store, Andrea Carter said the new shop would be a chance to introduce new kinds of cosmetics to the city. She's run cosmetics shops in northeast Ohio for several years, but this one offered the chance to open under a new name.
"I think people have the impression that our products aren’t for everyone," said Carter, who is African American. "Our products are for all skin types and the benefits of all natural skincare products are endless." The couple first came to the area for a Joel Osteen event in 2009, and they continued to come back. "It’s such a beautiful place, it made sense to expand here," she said, noting the growth of the city overall and interest in Dublin in particular.
LaDrea sells bath and body products including body oils, lotions, bath bombs, and other skin care products, all of which are made using natural oils and ingredients.
The woman-owned and minority-owned business has a social mission too. Carter fell seriously ill with sepsis a few years ago. The condition can damage organ systems and is potentially fatal. It requires a lengthy recovery and can potentially have long-term effects.
The four years since then have changed Carter's perspective. She said it inspired her to raise awareness of how the condition can change a person's life and help other survivors who struggle with moving on. So the shop will also hold events for other survivors to learn about new cosmetics, as sometimes the condition can damage the hair or skin.
“I don’t think there’s a lot of awareness of sepsis and how it impacts a person long-term," she said. "I want my story to be a chance for other people to learn about it and know they aren’t alone, and that life comes after.”