Ga. business owner honors Gullah Geechee healing tradition

SAVANNAH, Ga. — A Savannah business owner is carrying on her family’s tradition of herbal medicine through Geechee Girl Apothecary, a shop on West Bay Street that carries more than 100 herbs, handcrafted soaps and a full-service café.

Marrisa Rawls, owner of Geechee Girl Apothecary, said her introduction to herbal healing began in childhood, when her Gullah Geechee grandparents in South Carolina cared for her during frequent illness.

“I was very sick when I was a kid. I was a preemie, so my lungs weren’t developed when I was born. I was born with a lot of digestive issues. So my grandma Buella and my granddaddy Willie were my caretakers when I was sick,” Rawls said.

Knowledge passed down through generations

As the oldest grandchild, Rawls watched her grandparents use plants to treat illness — knowledge Gullah Geechee families relied on for generations.

“My grandma Buell would be like, ‘Make sure that you mix a little this and that, and this and that,’” Rawls said.

The deaths of her grandparents prompted Rawls to formalize that knowledge. Her grandfather Willie died in 1998. Her grandmother passed in 2019.

“I didn’t really start this herbalism journey until later. It was 2020. My grandmother passed in 2019. My granddaddy Willie passed in 1998. And I was like, ‘Oh my God, no one’s left to make me a tea,’” Rawls said.

From family tradition to storefront

Rawls went on to study herbalism and began selling Geechee Girl Tea before opening Geechee Girl Apothecary. The shop’s inventory spans from alfalfa leaf to yarrow and includes plants used specifically in Gullah Geechee healing traditions, such as life everlasting — also known as rabbit tobacco — and mullein.

Pre-blended teas are designed to support heart, kidney and liver health, as well as everyday wellness, according to Rawls. One blend, Mommy’s Love, was created by Rawls after growing up with painful menstrual cycles.

Customers can select herbs individually at an in-store weigh station or consult with Rawls directly.

“They can either shop the herbs themselves and weigh them at our weigh station, or they can come to me and say, ‘This is kind of my goal,’” Rawls said.

A living tribute to family

Rawls said the shop’s offerings — herbal blends, handcrafted soaps and the in-store café — reflect the influence of earlier generations on her work.

“Everything that we do ties back into something. Whether it’s because Grandma Sarah made soap, or Grandma White. It’s really me taking what they put into me and putting it back out. I hope when people leave, they feel the love. They feel at home. And they see you can honor your heritage and where you’re from in small, everyday ways,” Rawls said.

Geechee Girl Apothecary is located on West Bay Street in Savannah. The shop is closed Sundays and Mondays.