Growing up in small Georgia towns, Jana Murphy and Paige Williams loved camping, which is what inspired them to launch their own glamping business in a local small town.
On Sunday, June 11, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Murphy and Williams will celebrate the grand opening of Untamed Honey Glampsites at Soap Creek Marina and Resort located at 3000 Soap Creek Lodge Road in Lincolnton.
Glamping means glamorous camping, which, unlike traditional camping, resembles sleeping in a luxury hotel room with all the conveniences of home, such as beds, couches, coffee makers, as well as heating and air conditioning.
“You don’t lose out on the luxuries you have at home,” Murphy said. “As I’ve gotten older, sleeping on the ground isn’t my forte.”
They currently have six tents on the banks of Clarks Hill Lake.
“It’s a beautiful area,” she said. “There’s no need to get in your vehicle while you’re there.”
Soap Creek Marina has its own restaurant, Williemac’s, which specializes in steaks and seafood and regularly offers live entertainment.
“Being outside is a mood booster and stress reliever,” Murphy said.
While glamping is much more high-tech than traditional camping, she said the idea is to “disconnect to reconnect,” meaning families put down their electronic devices, including phones and tablets, to spend time together. They plan to host various events at Untamed Honey, such as parties and team-building exercises.
The biggest challenge they faced in preparing to open was coming to an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Williams, Murphy’s best friend, loves traveling and the great outdoors. For the last 20 years, the pair has worked together on various business ventures, including selling air purification systems. That role allowed them to win trips to various international countries, such as South Africa. They have visited glampsites throughout the world.
“The hospitality side really excites me,” Williams said. “We want to offer not just a place to stay, but an experience.”
Murphy said the global glamping market has reached more than $2.5 billion, but that figure is expected to grow exponentially by 2030.
They want to partner with other local businesses.
“We’ve just teamed up with Van Goat Grazing Co.,” she said.
Van Goat, one of the businesses in OPP Kitchen, will offer charcuterie boards for their guests. It will also be one of the vendors for the grand opening.
They chose the name Untamed Honey because untamed is a synonym for wild, and honey is sweet.
Murphy said they’ve been hands-on in preparing the glampsites, including helping to build decks. She grew up in Alma located in South Georgia, while Williams grew up in Millen, which is near Waynesboro.
“The Augusta area is our home,” Murphy said.
For more information about Untamed Honey Glampsites, visit untamedhoneyglampsites.com/ or the business’s Facebook page.
