Mossy Creek Natural announced the business is expanding to a second studio at Ball Street Crossing as a makerspace to keep the 915 Carroll Street store stocked with locally-made products.

Mossy Creek Natural is a minority-owned bath and body business in Downtown Perry. In 2020, sales grew 33% and space limitations in the retail building caused difficulty in keeping products on the shelves.

City of Perry Economic Development staff helped facilitate the expansion by helping business owner, Michelle Rhoades, with identifying a second location to expand her manufacturing, identify gap financing programs and assisting with applications, and capturing $58,000 in gap financing for equipment and bulk raw materials. The City of Perry Downtown Development Authority awarded Mrs. Rhodes $10,000 from their internal loan program. She also secured funds from the Middle Georgia Regional Commission loan program.

“The Studio at Mossy Creek Natural” will host classes for national and international soap makers to learn more about the industry. In the future, soap making classes will be offered to the public. This new location will also allow bulk raw materials to be purchased, reducing current production costs by 50%.

The business will create a minimum of four new jobs and retain two positions. They will also be eligible for a minimum of $20,000 in Rural Zone tax credits.