Success Story: Lavenders Blue

Kendra Grill is the proud owner of the newest soap bar in Rockingham County - Lavenders Blue. It is located at 707 Washington in Uptown Eden. But it didn’t start that way… Kendra, with some help from her husband Steve, originally bought an old dilapidated building in The Boulevard section of Eden with intentions of a full renovation. Work included gutting the building to the walls and flooring. New walls were framed, and new plumbing and new HVAC were added. The family did as much of the work as their skill set allowed. She and Steve took a cabinetmaking class to learn to make the custom shelving she envisioned for the store.

Progress on the store came to a standstill when their contractor stopped work. There was a dispute about expectations that continues today. But, Kendra wasn’t going to let that get in the way of her dream. You see, Kendra is the kind of person that never quits when the chips are down. She decided that while things were up in the air at her Boulevard building, with help from the SBC, she would negotiate a lease at a prime location in Uptown Eden, a thriving part of town with plenty of walking traffic.

She now has a beautiful location where you can shop and browse and feel comfortable. She has retail sales, but the most exciting part is the soap making parties she offers. Both small and large groups can choose from a predetermined option list to learn to make custom soaps using formulas she has developed and has been perfecting for years. She soon realized the only thing missing to a relaxing soap-making session was a glass of wine. So, what does a go-getter like Kendra do? With the help of the SBC, she applied for a license to serve wine. And with a wine sales background, she knows how to offer the perfect pour for every taste.