An expansion of a popular Fort William shopping destination will open to the public on Thursday.
The Highland Soap Company has revamped its visitor centre at Inverlochy Mains.
Situated at the foot of Ben Nevis, in six acres of parkland, it has proved a popular attraction since opening in December 2020.
The Highland Soap Company produces contemporary Scottish organic and natural soap and skincare products.
The revamped centre will stock a full range of children and baby clothes, books and toys, Harley jumpers, stationary, cooking and kitchenware, art and will feature a dark-panelled whisky and gin room with a “smoking-room vibe”.
Unchanged will be their existing soaps, lotions, creams and other bathing products and accessories across their range of 15 fragrances from lemongrass & ginger to wild Scottish raspberry.
Three new jobs will be created with a further 12 across the company in the future.
Inside the shop
Highland Soap founder Emma Parton said: “Our visitor centre has been a success since the day we opened and an extension has been on our agenda ever since.
“The good news is that we have space for a second expansion, perhaps focusing more on food and in the pattern of a farm shop.”
Continuing growth
It is the latest in a string of developments for the company.
Since opening the visitor centre, they have taken 11,000 sq ft of manufacturing space from Inverness-shire landlord Blackbridge Furnishings to allow for a quadrupling of capacity.
This will allow the company to continue to grow its e-commerce business which sends out 30,000 parcels a year, services 5,000 bedrooms worth of hotel clients, and caters for 400 stockists.
The export market continues to be one of the fastest-growing aspects for the business and is expected to account for 20% of revenue this year.
The company has also revealed ambitions to open stores in Inverness and Edinburgh when suitable locations can be found.
The Highland Soap Company was launched 20 years ago as a maker of organic soaps in Emma’s kitchen in a time when such products were hard to find.
The company has grown organically and now has six shops in Aviemore, Oban, Pitlochry, Fort William, St Andrews and the Inverlochy Mains visitor centre.
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