We started our business in 1980 when, living and going to school in Boston, Bill Faith and I decided we’d like to start an endeavor together. Bill already had a background in medicinal herbs so we began to sell herbal teas at a small marketplace in the basement of a church in Cambridge, MA. We soon branched out into essential oils, to be used for healing. This was long before ‘aromatherapy’ was a commonly used term, but we discovered that there was a lot of interest in oils, so we began to concentrate on that aspect of our business.

After we got married, we moved back to California. Bill and I had both gone to college in Santa Barbara and met while living there. I grew up and graduated in 1970 from Fillmore High so we decided to move back and start our family there. As our business developed, we started ‘taking our show on the road’ selling at craft fairs, military bases, county fairs and renaissance festivals. During our many years working at renaissance festivals, we always actively promoted the city of Fillmore as an attractive travel destination. We developed our own lines of perfume solids, scented lotions and soaps and incenses as well as custom blended fragrances, made to order.

Between 1981 and 1993 we had a boy and four girls, all born at home with a mid-wife. They attended Fillmore schools and grew up actively participating in sports, music, theater, church and volunteer projects.

Luke (31) is Special Projects Manager for Seneca Resources; Hannah (29), is expecting her second child and a Special Education teacher; Tara (26) works full time as a care-giver; Nora (24) attends graduate school in Ireland; and Claire (20) is a junior at Humboldt State University.

They’ve all worked at the family business for many years.

In 1998, we opened The Scented Path Apothecary at its present location, next to the Towne Theatre. We modeled the business after a turn-of-the-century shop, with crown-molding-topped shelving built by Walt Taylor and custom-designed wooden display cases made by my dad, Ralph Rees. We felt that the historic flavor of the building would lend itself to our business approach which emphasizes natural and old-fashioned fragrance, beauty and health products.

Since that time, we’ve continued to enjoy working in the small town atmosphere of Fillmore, offering our services in order to help people regain good health and generally contributing to the well-being of the community. In the past we have supported a number of groups including: Grad Night Live, Little League, Fillmore Convalescent Center Auxiliary and Fillmore Women’s Service Club among others. Scented Path sponsors a table each year for the Soroptimist’s annual Fashion Show. And I teach Yoga classes to seniors at the Fillmore Senior Center as well as other Yoga classes to adults at the Body Image and at my own studio, Fillmore’s Health and Wellness Center on Santa Clara Street.

Bill and I both love to read, watch classic movies, travel, car camp and hike and spend time with our kids and granddaughter. It doesn’t get much better than that!

Thanks again for your support and acknowledgement.
Janine Rees