Editor’s note: Repelling mosquitoes, attracting makers: Those are among the goals for Philip Freeman and “Murphy’s Naturals.” Freeman plans to offer co-working space soon in Raleigh as his business grows, says ExitEvent Editor Laura Baverman.

RALEIGH, N.C. – ​Philip Freeman has a good problem to solve at Murphy’s Naturals.

Sales of the all-natural mosquito-repelling incense sticks and candles he brought to market in 2013 have taken off so quickly that he’s already out of space at the warehouse he rented a year ago. The neon green colored products will appear in as many as 2,000 U.S. garden centers, hardware stores, groceries, Hallmark stores, as well as in locations around the world this year. With home and personal care products also in the pipeline and growing staff needs, it’s time to think about the company’s much-bigger future.

And because he’s interested in social impact—2 percent of gross sales go to charitable causes and Murphy’s has an application in to become a B Corp—Freeman wants to share that growth path with other up-and-coming entrepreneurs.

He and Raleigh developer Grubb Ventures are in the process of designing and then building out 21,000-square-feet of former Winn-Dixie distribution space on East Whitaker Mill Road just five minutes north of downtown Raleigh. Nearly half of that space will be converted into a co-working space and office suites open to nonprofit and maker-entrepreneurs, with educational programs, conference space, benefits (like a beer tap from neighbor Blackjack Brewing and a quiet room for focused workers) and rates similar to those at HQ Raleigh ($200-250 for a monthly co-working membership).

The other portion of the building will be reserved for Murphy’s manufacturing and distribution, as well as a wood and metalworking shop, sewing machines and eventually 3D printers available to coworkers. That opens early next year. 

There’s plenty more to this story: Read it at: http://exitevent.com/article/repelling-mosquitos-attracting-makers-150522

Note: ExitEvent is a news partner of WRAL TechWire.