A Belleville specialty shop offering big flavor can help make any cook look like a pro
Shannon Smith’s business, Just Us Seasonings, might be one of Belleville’s best-kept secrets, but I’m here to let that secret out.
Just Us Seasonings offers a variety of seasonings, breadings and olive oils that can make an inexperienced cook look like a pro.
Before even entering the shop at 1646 Lebanon Ave., one can catch the delicious scent of herbs and spices. Inside, the aroma was even better. (I hadn’t eaten before my visit; I may have drooled a little.)
Customers will find shelves of mixed seasonings, such as the Just Us garlic with parsley, Jamaican jerk, Quebec chicken and the Sazon seasoning, which Smith said is one of her most popular.
There are also seasonings for greens, seafood and veggies and a salt-free line.
Packaged breadings for fish and chicken are available in regular and spicy versions. Extra virgin olive oils come in flavors that include Italian herb, basil garlic butter and habanero garlic.
A growing business
Not only does Smith sell her products online, she demonstrates how to use them.
Smith mainly uses Instagram, where she has an impressive 150,000 followers, to share content for her business. She also has TikTok and YouTube channels to share how-to cooking videos for savory, affordable meals featuring Just Us products.
She posted videos that showed viewers how to make delicious and affordable meals. Smith said feels she could do more.
As a person who loves to cook, Smith was a fan of YouTube cooking videos. She saw a video about seasonings, which inspired her to start her own business.
Just Us launched in 2020 as an at-home endeavor while Smith worked a regular job and continued raising her three kids. During the pandemic, she was able to develop a plan and set aside some money to put the plan into action.
By June 2020, she was busy filling orders for Just Us breading and developing her seasonings line, which was introduced at the grand opening of the brick and mortar in early fall 2021.
Today, Smith continues to grow her business.
Most of the orders come in online. On Tuesdays, she works to pack and ship those orders. She has one person who helps at the shop on Fridays and Saturdays. (Smith gets Saturdays off to spend time with her kids, 16, 11 and 5.)
Just Us products can be purchased from the website at justusseasonings.com, Amazon, Walmart and Gateway Market off 25th Street in East St. Louis.
The goal is to get into Schnucks and other area stores, she said.
Plans to add more products like hot sauces, barbecue sauces, more seasonings and spices are on her to-do list.
Smith hopes to incorporate “Sample Saturdays” once a month for public tastings to help draw customers to the store.
As for the location, Lake Christine is a little quiet, but she likes it. The shop gets local traffic from the Social Security office and Saigon Vietnamese restaurant in the same plaza.
She constantly promotes Just Us Seasonings on her socials to draw more people.
Still active on YouTube, Smith is always checking out food pages for new recipes and ideas. She also wants to start offering cooking classes and to incorporate a mini grocery store as part of the shop.
In the meantime, now that the grilling season is upon us, it’s worth a visit to Just Us Seasonings to check out the goods. I’m sure your taste buds will thank you.
About Just Us Seasonings
Just Us Seasonings is located at 1646 Lebanon Ave. in Belleville. Hours are noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday.
For more info and updates, check out justusseasonings.com or follow Just Us Seasonings on Instagram.
