Willow Hill Soap Company, a handmade soap business started by husband-and-wife entrepreneurs Ben and Alison McDowell, has grown from a basement operation to a multi-location enterprise with plans for major expansion. The company was named 2026 Small Business of the Year by the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce, recognition that reflects the founders’ trajectory from bootstrapped startup to employer and community contributor.
The McDowells launched Willow Hill in 2016 in their basement, initially forgoing salaries for two years as they built the business. Today, the company operates two retail locations, one in downtown Canton and another in Hendersonville, along with wholesale and online sales. The team now includes 10 full-time and seven part-time employees.
Growth has accelerated the company’s infrastructure needs. Haywood County recently deeded Willow Hill a 7-acre property in the Beaverdam Industrial Park, where the company will build a new manufacturing facility and headquarters. The agreement includes a pledge to create at least eight new full-time jobs with wages above the county’s average median wage.
From Basement to Retail Network
The McDowell’s early approach was hands-on and lean. They hand-crafted every soap in their basement before opening their first retail location in downtown Canton. That direct production model persists today, all soaps are still made by hand, though the operation has scaled considerably since the early days.
Their product range has expanded to include body butters and candles in scents ranging from coffee and cashmere to vanilla and merlot. The company sells through the Canton retail location at 80 Park Street and online at willowhillsoapcompany.com.
Community Investment and Disaster Relief
The award recognized more than production capacity. Shelley White, chair of the Haywood County Chamber board, noted that Willow Hill “represents so much of what makes Haywood County’s business community special: local people willing to dream big, work hard, create jobs and opportunities, invest in their neighbors, and build something that can reach far beyond their hometown without ever forgetting where home is.”
That commitment became visible after Hurricane Helene devastated the region. Willow Hill developed a product called Light of WNC, a benefit candle dedicated to rebuilding Western North Carolina. In collaboration with 99.9 Kiss Country radio, the initiative raised $23,000 for Helene relief funds.
Alison McDowell explained the impact of that experience. “We really saw the importance of giving back to the community whenever Hurricane Helene hit, and our customers supported us so well with our benefit candle. I feel like that was a pivotal point where I realized how beneficial small businesses are to the local community,” she said.
Building the Next Chapter
The new manufacturing facility represents a concrete expansion of the company’s footprint. In addition to the planned headquarters in the Beaverdam Industrial Park, Willow Hill aims to open another storefront in Waynesville as soon as 2027.
At the Haywood County Chamber’s annual dinner, Alison McDowell acknowledged the team and community that made growth possible. “Thank you for believing in us. We believe in our community, and we could not do this without our employees. Thank you to our community, who supports us so well,” she said while accepting the award.
The company also invests in education. When The Mountaineer visited the business, Alison McDowell was teaching a group of Western Carolina University students about entrepreneurship, sharing lessons learned through the company’s own growth from basement startup to established employer.