Janet Johnston says that you can smell her store from half a block away.
Although most people wouldn't admit that to their customers, it is a point of pride for her.
Janet, along with her husband
Mike Johnston, own and operate the Savory Spice Shop, 2650 W. Main St., Littleton. The shop, open since September 2006, is their second - the first one opened in September 2004 in Denver.
Janet and Mike moved to Denver 4 ½ years ago from Chicago, opening their first shop two months after arriving.
"Denver just seemed like it needed something like this," Janet said.
The couple got started in the spice business because of a love of cooking that they shared.
"My husband has always been an avid at-home chef," Janet said. "He got a job in a spice shop in Chicago and started creating his own blends."
Mike is a fine artist by trade, and Janet said that he loves spices and cooking in much the same way that he loves art. Janet used to work in marketing, but made the jump to spices after realizing her love for them.
"I was in corporate America for 15 years," Janet said. "The idea of doing something so basic was appealing. When I work here, there's nothing between me and my customers. I can make and change and see the results immediately."
The shop has almost 500 spices, including 140 signature seasonings and a "good smattering," of extracts, according to Janet.
Running a spice shop also has its own fringe benefits.
"We go out to get lunch," Janet said. "Then, we'll come back and walk around the store looking for something to put on it."
The busiest time of the year is around the holiday season, according to Janet. She said they do about 50 percent of their business during that time and last year they sold 5,000 gift sets.
In addition to their two stores, the Johnstons also run a Web site that sells spices to customers all over the world. The Web site accounts for about 10 percent of their business every year and they report that they've had 100 percent or more growth of orders from the Web site every year.
And they are planning on growing more. Janet said that they should have a store in Boulder very soon.
A typical day for Janet runs the gamut, from helping customers select the right spice, to grinding or mixing them, to running the business from a bookkeeping standpoint.
To the Johnstons, customer service is the most important thing that they do. That's why they create their own special blends.
"Depending on what we need, someone is always blending," Janet said. "When we have time, we're going to get (customers) exactly what they need."
With all the varieties of spices, some people might be overwhelmed. But Janet said that the experience is part of shopping at her store.
"The culinary world can be a little intimidating," she said. "But we have loyal and passionate customers. When they come in, I feel like they've found their own personal spice cabinet."