Support Women in SC: Women-Owned Businesses in the Lowcountry
by Sarah Nichols on Aug 29, 2018
Charleston, South Carolina is nationally praised for being a beautiful, unique city. But do you know what else it is? An up-and-coming hub for women-owned businesses.
In 2011, Charleston County had the highest rates in South Carolina for women-owned businesses. Statewide, women-owned businesses bring in about $16 billion. As we can see, supporting women means supporting the local economy. We previously listed our recommendations for women-owned businesses to frequent in the Midlands, but now we bring to you some of the highlights in the Lowcountry.
Fresh Future Farm is a local nonprofit, urban farm and grocery store in North Charleston. Germaine Jenkins, the CEO and Farm + Market Director, aims to create economic development opportunities through sustainable farming programs and healthier onsite grocery services. The farm and grocery store, located on 2008 Success Street, are intentionally situated in a food desert, so that food availability and job opportunities can be expanded. They were able to open the first USDA grocery store in the Chicora-Cherokee community since 2005, which sells a variety of fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs, along with other grocery items, at low prices.
Founded by Mallory Cooper, Charleston Dog Walker is a professional, bonded and insured pet care company equipped with a handful of pet sitters that provide a variety of services such as dog walking, cat sitting, wedding pet care, and pet taxis. They are licensed by the city of Charleston and certified in Pet CPR and Emergency Care. Their website also features frequent blog posts on pet spots in town, first aid for your animals, training tips, and more. Pet owners often treated their pets as their children, so top notch care for their furry friends is in high demand.
The Work Nest is a woman- and minority-owned workspace in Summerville—about thirty minutes outside of downtown Charleston. This workspace is South Carolina’s only baby-friendly shared work space, equipped with a play room for children, a napping and nursing room, and childcare offered starting at $5 per hour. The founder, Nesha Fraizier, found herself in a work-life struggle after retiring from the USAF, landing what she thought was her dream job, and giving birth to her children. Her stress levels were high, she found herself in uncomfortable work situations while needing to pump her breast milk, and her kids stayed in childcare for long hours each day. After a lot of juggling and sharing her story with other moms, she decided to create The Work Nest to end mom guilt and provide stress-free (or at least less stressful) working environments for mothers. Because of this, The Work Nest is a welcoming space for all women and mothers who are looking to start, continue, or advance their careers without having to sacrifice future motherhood or quality childcare for their children.
Grey Ghost Bakery is a small-family owned baking company in Charleston, named after the famous friendly Grey Ghost legend of Pawleys Island. Founder Katherine Frankstone followed her childhood dreams and created Grey Ghost Bakery, which has received national acclaim. The bakery was a Martha Stewart “Made in America” 2015 Finalist. Her recipes boast fresh, all-natural ingredients, and are both unique and delicious. Cookies include Almond Toffee, Lemon Sugar, Molasses Spice, and Chocolate Cayenne. Cookies can be purchased in retailers throughout the entire country, so you don’t have to be just in Charleston to support them. They can also be purchased online.
Just as we mentioned in our Columbia blog, this is not a comprehensive list of all women-owned businesses in the Lowcountry—just a few highlights. Take a look at a few more we would like to give a shout-out to:
Have we missed any of your favorite Charleston women-owned businesses? Let us know! We are on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.