Our Journey at the Charleston City Market

As we celebrate 13 years in business, we’re taking a look back at how far we’ve come, especially in the place where it all began - the Charleston City Market. What started as a small stand with a handful of handmade soaps at the weekend Night Market, has grown into a vibrant retail presence across Charleston. Our journey through the years is a reflection of the incredible support we’ve received from our community, and we’re excited to share how our spaces and story have evolved.

Where It All Started

Old Whaling Co. began when our founder, April, discovered from a pharmacist that there were gentler alternatives for her son’s sensitive skin, including making her own soap and self-care products. What started as a personal quest to help her family, soon grew into a line of products loved by many. When she relocated to South Carolina in early 2012, she had no idea where her soap-making journey would lead!

In 2013, after selling her first products at various markets around Charleston, April decided to apply for the Charleston City Market's Night Market, held every Friday and Saturday from 6:30pm to 10:00pm. Charleston City Market's Night Market focused exclusively on smaller, local makers, selling handmade items over the weekend in the outdoor market stalls. After about a year of growing the business as a night vendor, Old Whaling Co. was offered the opportunity to become a daily vendor outside. This move marked the first step toward becoming a larger part of the Charleston City Market community and building the Old Whaling Co. brand.

Becoming A Daily Vendor 

While the Night Market has it's own charms, we were thrilled to move into a daily space during the week! This meant our business could be seen by more tourists and locals alike, but it also meant needing to set up and break down an outdoor booth everyday, rain or shine. We were lucky to eventually move to a permanent outdoor space, right across from Edna's Lowcountry Spices, so we were surrounded by other local, established vendors. Having a permanent outdoor space not only pushed us to produce more products (so we could be stocked for the week!), it was also a huge learning opportunity for us, and we loved the chance to showcase our products everyday. 

Moving Inside The Great Hall

After a couple of years as an outdoor vendor, the opportunity arose to move into the Great Hall in 2018. The Great Hall was fully renovated and converted into a permanent vendor hall in 2011 - complete with air conditioning and the opportunity for vendors to have a permanent display space inside, instead of setting up each day. Given the heat of Charleston’s summers and our desire to continue growing our brand, we were determined to move indoors. Transitioning from a temporary outdoor vendor to a permanent space at the City Market marked a pivotal moment, allowing us to design our first mini storefront. This was a tangible step toward building the brand and expanding our reach in our local community!

The opportunity to move indoors also meant figuring out how to create an impactful retail display in a small, corner space - a big move from only two tables we had outdoors! Our first retail displays were wooden crates spray painted white, alongside baskets to display our then-unboxed bath bombs. We used the crates and baskets to not only hold products, but also to create height and depth in the space while adding a coastal feel. We still use some of these painted crates in our King Street store today! A wooden rolling cart was also built to hold product testers and act as a checkout counter. Cabinet shelving was built all the way around so extra products could be stored underneath the displays. The organization of our small space showcased our creative ability to create a welcoming space with very little construction.

Our First Professional Renovation

As our products grew in popularity, so did our aspirations. With our own dedicated shop came the opportunity to build our first custom cabinets - handcrafted shelves and fixtures that not only held more products, but also gave us the space to introduce new scents and expand our displays. We added brass drawer pulls for a touch of luxury and shelf rows stacked four high so each product could have its own colorful display. Our sign also changed from a hand drawn chalkboard to a professionally designed sign with our whale logo! With these changes, our Great Hall spot began to feel more like us, and we were happy for the chance to be creative.

Our Latest Improvements

In early 2025, we renovated our Charleston City Market space again to maximize more of the space in order to showcase new products such as shower steamers and our tote bags! New, wider custom shelving efficiently display a greater variety of products, while additional cabinetry creates more back stock space, ensuring that popular items are always within reach. 

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Our rolling cart was also expanded to hold more testers and candles, allowing customers to easily experience the full range of scents in one place. The addition of a utility closet keeps our cleaning supplies and tools neatly tucked away, while fully functioning drawers around the counter provide us with essential organization for smaller items, making daily operations smoother than ever. Check out our before and after video of the City Market renovations to see the transformation!

Evolving Spaces, Enduring Values

As our retail spaces have grown, the heart of our mission has remained the same. We’re still driven by a love for our craft, a commitment to quality, and a desire to create a welcoming experience for every customer who walks through our doors. No matter how much our spaces have changed after thirteen years, our dedication to making thoughtful, coastal-inspired products and providing kind, attentive service will always stay at the core of what we do!

If you have the chance to visit us in person, we'd love to "sea" you at the Charleston City Market, where so much of our journey began!