Above: a product from My Ocean

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Baha Mar may be the Caribbean’s largest resort project, but as it courts potential retailers, it’s using a decidedly local focus.

The project announced Tuesday that it had tapped Bahamian owned and operated bath and beauty products manufacturer My Ocean to be the property’s newest retailer.

The boutique bath, body and home studio factory is headed by artist Tanya Klonaris Azevedo and her husband Eduardo Azevedo, who lead a small team of artisans making hand-made products like soaps and candles.

“When a guest at Baha Mar purchases an item that is made in the Bahamas by local artisans who care about their craft, that adds a great deal of meaning to the guest experience,” said Paul Pusateri, chief operating officer at Baha Mar. “It will create additional opportunities for entrepreneurs, artisans and everyone in the hospitality industry, leading to sustainable growth and development not just for our economy but also for our community.”

The company says it has placed a strong emphasis on finding local companies to fill its retail space.

Last month, the project announced it had signed Uniquely Bahamian Boutique, a locally-owned retailer. It is the sister company to jewelry store Jewels By the Sea.

“We are proud of the fact that, as a retailer at Baha Mar, we will create opportunities for small-scale artisans to have access to the world stage in a world-classresort. It means the difference between their craft being a hobby and being a career,” said Rory Dean, director of Uniquely Bahamian. “Our vendors will have to get more creative, use higher- end materials and produce bigger, bolder products to appeal to the guests at Baha Mar.”
The resort project is set to open in December.

“We are creating additional opportunities for entrepreneurs, artisans and everyone in the hospitality industry. This will lead to sustainable growth and development not just for our economy but also for our communities,” Pusateri said.