Why I Own a Business in Abingdon, VA

Here's how to take advantage of some of the best business resources in "olive" Virginia.

By Amy Antonation on November 29, 2023

K.C. St. Louis

Entrepreneur K.C. St. Louis first came across an olive oil store as a customer in Florida, four hours away from her home in Abingdon, VA. 

“I fell in love with the product and its many health benefits,” she says. “It made the perfect hostess gift, birthday gift, Christmas present, housewarming gift … You name it, this worked for any occasion.” 

After she shared the olive oil love with friends, they began to ask St. Louis to bring back bottles whenever she traveled to the store. “When I came home with 10 orders and 18 bags,” she says, “I thought, ‘This is a cool business! I’m going to look into this.’” 

St. Louis launched Abingdon Olive Oil Co. (AOOC) in 2011, and now sells premium and infused olive oils (including a blend designed especially for pets!) along with vinegar and spice blends. Here’s her take on doing business in Abingdon and Washington County. 

What has been the community’s reaction to AOOC? 
Oh, my gosh! You couldn’t ask for a more receptive, genuine, caring community! 

Which individuals or county departments have been most helpful to you as a business owner? 
We are very blessed to have Tonya Triplett at the helm of our Economic Development and Tourism Department. She truly cares about the success of all tourism-related businesses and follows up on any concerns an owner might have. 

I can’t say enough about Cathy Lowe and Sandy Ratliff at the Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator. It’s where I started my intel for operating a business in Virginia, Washington County and Abingdon. I was given a lot of guidance to the various businesses I would need to start operations. Although I didn’t need the “workspace” they could have provided, I can see the great advantage to doing so because any questions that arise could be answered just by walking down the hallway to their offices. 

What has been the best or most surprising thing about running AOOC? 
The best thing is my customers! They are intrigued and intriguing. They are well-educated and, therefore, inquisitive. By far, the most surprising is the number of tourists that come to Abingdon! 

What’s one word you would use to describe the small-business scene in Abingdon? 
Growing. 

Do you have any advice for someone looking to open a small business in Abingdon and Washington County? 
Once you’ve made the decision to be a small-business owner, embrace it! Go for it! Jump in, the water’s fine! There’s all kinds of community, business and government support here. 

Don’t be afraid to ask for it. What you’ll truly find if you open a business here is that people genuinely care about your success. They genuinely appreciate you being here, so they support you whenever they can.