JULY 2025 - Exterior of Soul Sisters Depot in Waynesville, N.C. (Photo: WLOS Staff)
WAYNESVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Ten months after Hurricane Helene, one Western North Carolina business is bouncing back in a new location.
When the storm hit, it destroyed the Soul Sisters Depot boutique in the Frog Level section of Waynesville. The owners of Axe and Awl Leatherworks offered Soul Sisters a place to set up temporarily and stay in business.
But after receiving an $18,000 grant from the Haywood Advancement Foundation, Soul Sisters Depot owners Chelsea Ramsey and her sister-in-law, Haley Ramsey, secured a new building lease with upgrades to lighting and a cosmetic overhaul of the new store.
"That grant money helped us with renovation. This was a complete rebuild. Floor to ceiling, literal floor to ceiling, no plumbing, no electrical. It purchased our lighting, office equipment, paint for the walls and inventory. It helped us in a multitude of ways. We would not be here without that funding," said Chelsea Ramsey.
Now that the owners are out of the flood plain, they can focus their attention on serving their growing customer base. With handmade jewelry and unique clothing, their customers have found them again.
"When we found out about what happened in Frog Level with the floods, we were devastated. I'm so glad that they're back and clearly are flourishing here, 'cause it is such a unique store and a great place to be," said Ashley Zande, a customer.
Soul Sisters Depot is moving forward with a new space that they are over the moon about. The owners say it is going to be their best year yet. They call themselves lotuses, rising from the mud that Helene brought.
When they were cleaning up their store in Frog Level, they said they found a small frog inside their now abandoned building.
“One of our customers found a frog. She had gloves on, and she was working in the back, just trying to scoop up what things she could to salvage for us, and a little frog was hopping around, and he was happy. He was. He was happy in the mud. It was a cool find," Haley Ramey said.
NOAA and the National Weather Service are predicting an above-normal 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. But, not to worry for these Soul Sisters, who have acquired a new building. They have seen the depths of mud and grit, and they are not stopping anytime soon.
The owners say they can breathe relief now that they are in a flood-free area. They say they are thankful for the help they have received and are ready to meet new customers and shine a light on their dream business.
"It had to have been just completely devastating whenever your whole entire store and your livelihood is destroyed. I also appreciate the other businesses in Waynesville that have welcomed the businesses from Frog Level that opened their doors because I know that Soul Sisters was operating out of Axe and Awl Leatherworks, closer to Main Street, at that time," said Ashley Zande, a resident of Haywood County.
The Soul Sisters say they are humbled by the stories people have shared with them. The support and the relationships they built during the aftermath of Helene bring them closer to the community as they bounce back from one of the biggest disasters in North Carolina's history.
"We both look back and say, 'Wow, that was horrible, and that happened to us.' It is part of our story, but it does not define us. We are here and we are happy, and we've moved on for sure. We do not dwell. We can smile about it," said Chelsea Ramsey.
Visit the Soul Sisters Depot at 110 Miller Street in Waynesville, N.C.