Today we’d like to introduce you to Dusti Gregory.
Dusti, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I walked into Years To Your Health just under 26 years ago. As soon as I came in, I was in love. It smelled amazing, and there were probably 1000 jars of herbs lining the walls of the “Herb Room.” I thought to myself, “This is what I want to do with my life.” And that was it. I saw that they had a hiring sign up, so I told the lady behind the register to throw away the rest of the applications because they were going to hire me. We had a little laugh and then about a week later I got that call. I wasn’t raised using or knowing about herbs, so this was an entirely new world to me. There is so much to learn, and I was excited at that aspect. I spent seven years working at Years To Your Health then went to manage a supplement section at another store. While away, I got certified as a Master Herbalist through The School of Natural Healing in 2007. I never stopped working towards learning about herbs and helping people take care of their own health. In 2015, I came back to YTYH again. I felt like I was coming home in a sense. I now manage the store while the owner is away enjoying the fruits of her labor. I have many future goals I am working on so that I can continue to give people the best possible assistance in maintaining or achieving good health that I can. I will always help people in some capacity, and I have found the best possible way for me to do it.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I believe this store has had many obstacles. We are here to service the customer. To provide them a product they want that they feel they need. There are a lot of regulations when it comes to herbal supplements, and the way one can speak and offer them. We have always had to conform to this even when the customers wanted more information than we can legally give. I think it is a delicate balance. You need to let the customer become informed of what products can do without diagnosing or prescribing things to them. We have been given an amazing amount of customers along the way. They have supported us and the products we have for almost 40 years here at Years To Your Health and they continue to do so.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We are an herb store. We have the largest selection of herbs that I have seen in the DFW area. For most of these 38 years, we made our own products, including capsule blends and teas. Because of FDA regulations, we have stopped making our own products and now sell many other brands. On the shelves of the “herb room,” we have about 500 boxes of different herbs. We also carry tea blends, essential oils, and products for making your own health & beauty products. We have a room full of incense and candles as well as many beautiful rocks and stones. We have jewelry and so many little perfect trinkets around to mention. We are most proud of the service we offer to our community. I see new faces every single day, so I know there is a need for us to be here. One of the things that set us apart is the sheer amount of herbs we carry. We pride ourselves on having hundreds of herbs for whatever a person may need.
What were you like growing up?
I have always been a bit of a mix. I am pretty introverted. I love my alone time. As a child, I was quiet, until I felt comfortable around you, then I was such a talker. I have always loved reading and learning. I am hungry for knowledge. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t read. I did well in school and took AP classes most of my life. When I was younger, I wanted to be a veterinarian. I quickly realized I could not handle seeing animals in pain, so I moved on from that. I loved Biology and anything to do with learning how our body systems worked. I started working at Years To Your Health when I was in 11th grade, so my interests in helping others came pretty early for me.
Contact Info:
- Address: 503 E 2nd St.
Irving, Texas 75060 - Website: www.yearstoyourhealth.com
- Phone: 972-579-7042
- Email: years2health@gmail.com
- Instagram: @yearstoyourhealth
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/Years2Health
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/years-to-your-health-irving-2?osq=years+to+your+health
Image Credit:
Erin Hess
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition, please let us know here.
