MORRIS – If you’re looking for quality olive oils and balsamic vinegars close to home, look no further than Verbena in Morris.

Customers are met with immediate comfort, warmth and the smell of home upon arrival. The overall aesthetic of a relaxed autumn evening, while preparing a simple meal is complimented by every element of the store, from the large array of pastas, to the intricate handmade wooden cutting boards, embellished by the fall décor littered throughout the store.

Every piece of the store is infused with the personalities of owners, Valerie Baker and Kristal Hutchings, a mother and daughter duo, who discovered their passion for oil and vinegar combinations while on vacation in Arizona.

“We went into an olive oil store and we sent all of these oil and vinegars home that we bought. We didn’t know what to do. So, it’s been kind of fun trying to figure it out. And long story short, we got into it and thought Morris could use a store like this,” Baker said.

“I had some health issues that I had to overcome, I was bed-bound for a while. So, we looked into diet and the health benefits and once I made the switch over to oils and vinegars I lost weight and I’m obviously not bed-bound anymore,” Hutchings said.

The medicinal properties of olive oil have been utilized for centuries. Known for its anti-inflammatory benefits attributed to the antioxidants, olive oil has been linked to lower blood pressure, decrease risk of stroke and lower the chances of cardiovascular disease, according to Medical News Today.

Verbena offers more than 80 flavors of oil and vinegars imported from Modena, Italy. Each is bottled and labeled in the store. The oil is cold pressed without preservatives or chemicals. The balsamics are barrel-aged for 15-to-20 years without sugars, chemicals or preservatives. The shelf life of each can be up to three years if stored properly.

“My absolute favorite olive oil is the garlic mushroom, for a spicy oil I like the tandoori, which is like an Indian spice. For balsamics, I use a lot of pear values. But for combinations, the coffee balsamic with the vanilla bean olive oil is outstanding,” Hutchings said.

With some many possible combinations, Verbena hosts tastings throughout the year, often themed for patrons to discover their new flavor combinations.

“We are a clash of two personalities. I really enjoy ‘Harry Potter’ and stuff like that. Mom loves ‘Hocus Pocus.’ We have previously done ‘Beetlejuice,’ and we want to do a ‘Beauty and the Beast’ one eventually,” said Hutchings.

The next tasting event will be “Hocus Pocus” themed, on Thursday October 6 as an all day free event. Enjoy themed treats from the film using Verbena products and dress as your favorite Sanderson sister or character from the film for a chance to win a prize.

Verbena is located Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m to 4 p.m at 411 Liberty Street in Morris. For additional information visit verbenashoppe.com.