Along U.S. Highway 264 in Washington, there sits a quaint home, and while it doesn’t appear to be anything out of the ordinary, it’s what is inside that will change people’s minds.

After Janice Chesson’s mother passed away, she was left with the question of what to do with the home left behind. With her mother’s ideals in mind and her inherited knack for the creative, Chesson said she decided several months after purchasing the home to turn it into a space for start-up artisan businesses. The Marketplace at Olive’s was born.

“My mother was a very strong advocate for women to start businesses and to be independent,” Chesson said. “She planted the seed in me growing up in this house.”

The Marketplace isn’t only for women, however. After opening in May, the location now has more than 25 vendors, male and female — selling jewelry, scratchboard art, baskets, baked goods, monogramming and Christmas items, to name several.

The Marketplace is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. during the week and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the weekend. It may also begin extended holiday hours.

Chesson said many of the vendors are like her in that their businesses began in response to crisis, but there are also retirees fulfilling their life’s passion.

“I just felt like maybe she (Chesson’s mother) would be very pleased for this type of thing,” she said. “Our philosophy is to move it in and move it out as quickly as possible.”

Another aspect of The Marketplace is the opportunities for customers to interact with the sellers, giving a more personal touch to the experience, according to Chesson.

She said many of the customers travel from outside the county to come there, whether it’s from Greenville, Williamston or Roper.

Penelope Radcliffe, a prospective vendor, said she is looking into bringing her paintings to The Marketplace.

“I kind of fell into it through a grieving process. I lost my mother and had a stillborn child, and I found a love of art from those losses,” Radcliffe said. “I feel excited about it. It’s a good opportunity.”

Radcliffe said she thinks it may be a challenge to let customers know that the home has been converted to a business, and Chesson said she is using social media as much as possible to build that customer base.

Chesson said she is also considering other venue options as The Marketplace continues to grow — she is considering a children’s venue in the gingerbread house next door and would like to partner with Beaufort County Community College in the future.

“We have some talented people, and Washington is becoming, Beaufort County is becoming, a hub of retirees that have a lot of talent,” Chesson said. “It’s phenomenal.”

The Marketplace at Olive’s is located at 6118 U.S. Highway 264 East, between BCCC and Douglas Crossroads, in Washington.