New life for former working mill as Bethania Mill & Village Shoppes

When Michael and Patricia West bought a working mill in historic Bethania nearly four years ago, the economy was in pretty good shape.

But conditions soured by the time the couple remodeled and reopened it as Bethania Mill & Village Shoppes in September 2008.

The retail and artists center has survived thanks primarily to shoppers such as Linda Hamm.

Hamm said she is a frequent customer at the center because of the people who work there and the great deals she gets on merchandise. "I usually always find something," Hamm said recently at Hand Picked Consignments, a shop in the center, after trying on a gold and metallic formal dress she planned to wear to a wedding.

The dress, including matching earrings and bracelets, cost her $21.

Michael West said the center has a lot of repeat customers but still has challenges getting folks to know "we are here."

"A lot of people still drive by the mill and say, 'Geez, what a great thing they did renovating the mill,' but they have yet to come inside," West said.

When people do step into the center, they are pleasantly surprised to find multiple shops in a village market type setting downstairs and open space, nice lighting and finishes upstairs, he said.

The first floor of Bethania Mill & Village Shoppes is all retail. Patricia West is the owner of Mill Stone General Store & Gallery, offering a variety of gifts including vintage and specialty candy, wines, gourmet food, products by North Carolina artisans, fashion accessories, custom jewelry, goat soap and merchandise made from llama and alpaca yarn.

"What I like about it is it's made in the U.S.A.," said Patricia West, who also owns a Christmas shop in the center. "That's what I want to do here — things that are different."

Cary Lewis, owner of Gemein Haus Candle Co., is one of her vendors, offering a variety of handmade products from various artists and craftsmen, including beeswax candles, metal reproductions and Moravian-style products such as stars and reproduction pottery.

"The mill to me is a nice collection of artists and craftsmen that you don't find any place else, and that's why I wanted to be associated with it," Lewis said. "Besides, Mike and Patricia are really good people."

There are two other retailers in the center, Hand Picked Consignments and Olde Towne Gifts.

Paige Wheeler opened Hand Picked Consignments in May 2009. She primarily sells high-end gently used clothes but also has new items selling at discounts of up to 75 percent.

"I'm a little bit different than some consignment shops," she said. "I do try to have something for everyone, so I carry extra small through 3X."

She also carries jewelry, shoes and handbags.

Wheeler said she has had some slow periods since she opened but has found that people like coming in and treasure hunting in her shop.

She said that the center is more of a destination place.

"We don't get walk-in traffic," she said. "They have to want to come see us."

Her customers come from as far away as Galax, Va., and Salisbury.

Olde Towne Gifts is an eclectic shop owned by Janice Walker.

Merchandise includes artwork, jewelry, garden sculptures, fire pots, tea sets, collectibles and outdoor decorative flags.

Walker said her business has been good despite the economy.

"I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I have a lot of unique things and they are priced reasonably," she said.

The second floor of the mill has been transformed into an events area, the Artist's Loft, and office space. Gone are the corn kernels that once were piled 4 feet deep in the center of the floor.

The events space is used for a variety of activities, including art shows, receptions, showers, birthday parties, small plays and wine tastings.

The two artists in the Artist's Loft — a working studio and exhibit space — are Nellie Shore and Idalia Canter. They offer painting classes in oil and watercolors, work on commissioned projects and hold exhibits.

The loft also holds painting group sessions for The Painting Friends.

"This is our dream child," Shore said. "We hope to have other artists join us in leasing the space."

The office tenants are Michelle Leonard, a conservationist, and West & Stem Architects, owned by Michael West and his business partner, Jay Stem.

Soon the Bethania Mill & Village Shoppes will have a new tenant.

Shana Whitehead, who offers yoga classes in the center, hopes to open a restaurant called Muddy Creek Café by May.

"We're going to have different local food providers," she said. "I want to have local foods and coffee from Krankies."

The menu will include sandwiches, salads, snacks, appetizers and local wines and craft beers.

Whitehead is not concerned by the fact that a lot of restaurants have had a tough time surviving in the recent economic downturn.

"There's a lot of excitement and enthusiasm in this area for a café," she said. "I'm looking forward to getting it started."

fdaniel@wsjournal.com

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