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Known to many as Astoria’s friendly
“Witch Doctor,” a name bestowed on her
from a friend who appreciated her advice
and talent for concocting herbal pick-me-
ups, soothers and remedies.
“It’s not your ordinary coffee shop,”
she said, with offerings including coffees,
teas, tonics, tinctures and elixirs, along
with special house-made gluten free treats.
“I just want people to feel good,” she
said. “I thought an old-timey style soda
fountain would fit the vibe I wanted.”
Mic Danielson of NorseWest Wood-
shop worked on the design and construc-
tion of the shop. The 12-foot tall book-
shelves were “a nerd dream come true”
for Norgaard, who always wanted a seri-
ous library. There’s a kitchen on site, room
for two small bistro tables inside, a street-
side order window, and yes, a functioning
soda fountain. Bakery display cases teem
with luscious gluten-free goodies, an idea
that she says stems from an old family
recipe for a Gooey Cake.
“Three of us in my family have celiac
disease, so we are highly intolerant of glu-
ten,” Norgaard said. “But who doesn’t
want a treat every once in a while?”
A person with celiac disease cannot
process the protein gluten, causing the
immune system to see gluten as a threat
and begin to attack it, thus making it
nearly impossible for the stomach’s villi to
absorb nutrients.
“That’s how my adventure with herbals
began,” she said. “I decided to take mat-
ters into my own hands and change my
lifestyle, trying to find solutions to stay
healthy.”
Norgaard shared her Gooey Cake with
friends and everyone would marvel at how
it tasted like a “real” cake. They encour-
aged her to continue with baking the orig-
inal, and other adaptations (including a
bacon-maple version), with maybe a shop,
“Cakes by Kit.” It didn’t happen, but her
niece has assumed the baking evolution in
the new venture.
“I’ve helped share my experience and
knowledge over the years and now I have
this awesome space to continue and help
others to thrive,” she said.
“You might call this adventure a fam-
ily affair,” Norgaard said. “My sister does
the menu design and some product design,
my niece is terrific with the baking — bet-
ter than I ever was— and my brother is
the brewer working on soda water on draft
and kombucha on draft.”
Other brews, besides sodas, range from
dense Turkish coffee, cocoas, kava lattes
and special CBD blends, to a hangover
healer. Norgaard still continues her health
coaching and experimenting with vitamins
and supplements, and dreaming up her
ever-popular retail items including towels,
clothing, cups and jewelry.
Some might be offended with Nor-
gaard’s use of swear words to embellish
pretty much everything, but many find it
hilarious. As she explains, “Laughter is
really the best medicine and swearing, too,
is healthy.”
“I can’t thank the awesome people in
this town enough for the opportunity to
dream my dream,” she said. “This space
is so wonderful, and since I have only the
two tiny tables inside the cafe, I encour-
age people to take their drinks and treats
downstairs where there’s antique furniture
to relax out of the cold and rain.
“Besides, who knows what treasures
and enchanted experiences you might find
at Foragers or Weird Sisters Freak Bou-
tique down there?”
Norgaard’s enthusiasm is infectious,
and who wouldn’t want to take advice
from this friendly Witch Doctor who
declares, “Whatever mood you’re in, I
want you to leave feeling better.”
Photos by Kit’s Apothecary
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Kirsten ‘Kit’ Norgaard with NorseWest Woodshop master
woodworker Mic Danielson, who designed the old-fashioned soda fountain vibe for the
coffee shop. A menu for treats at Kit’s Apothecary. Cupcakes at Kit’s Apothecary.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2022 // 9