Some businesses finding potential in an unlikely Brunswick city

When Steve Lewis was looking for the perfect place to open his next business venture, he didn’t choose Southport, Shallotte or Leland or any of the beach towns.

Lewis, owner of Bald Head Coffee and Tea House, picked Boiling Spring Lakes. While the city has traditionally been a bedroom community, its growth in recent years and potential to keep growing makes it an attractive place for businesses.

A couple of years ago, Lewis leased a facility in Southport for shipping Bald Head Coffee across the country, and when it came time to select a permanent location that included a coffee shop and drive-thru, he admits he did look in Southport and Leland. But when it came down to it, Lewis, who has been in the coffee business for 30 years, saw a need in Boiling Spring Lakes.

“There are only three ways in and out of Southport,” Lewis said. “And this is a beautiful building and a beautiful area.”

Lewis is not the only one choosing Boiling Spring Lakes for his business. Pretty Plum Beauty, a hair salon, opened at the end of May and a storage facility is now under construction on N.C. 87.

So far, residents seem to enjoy having more businesses in town. Bald Head Coffee officially opened its doors on Oct. 16, and since then, Lewis and the staff have stayed busy.

“We had a great first day,” Lewis said.

Leah Stone, a grad student at University of North Carolina Wilmington, lives in Boiling Spring Lakes and commutes to campus. She anticipates the shop will become her new go-to hangout.

"I was really excited for the coffee shop to open, so I would have somewhere to come and study that was close to my home," Stone said.

Bald Head Island Coffee is in a brick building just off N.C. 87. Other tenants include a real estate office, an attorney, and two vacant offices. Since the coffee shop opened, the parking lot, which typically has a handful of cars at most, has seen steady traffic in the morning and afternoon hours.

“We’ve filled it up,” Lewis said.

With Bald Head Island Coffee and Tea House, Lewis hopes to fulfill a need in the community by providing, not just high-quality coffees and teas, but also breakfast, lunch, baked goods, and retail options, such as coffee canisters, travel mugs, coffee beans, K-cups, and gift items.

Other businesses may soon follow Lewis to Boiling Spring Lakes. On Oct. 11, the Boiling Spring Lakes Board of Commissioners held a special closed session meeting to discuss an economic development opportunity. According to Nancy Sims, the city clerk, the meeting was just an update, and no action was taken.

The city is also taking other steps to develop its business district, including pursuing a design for a City Center, bringing more businesses and services to those who live in Boiling Spring Lakes.

“It’s encouraging because for years, there hasn’t really been a lot of business in Boiling Spring Lakes, meanwhile it’s twice the size of Southport,” Lewis said.

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This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Businesses opening in Boiling Spring Lakes