Iris Leary has been the friendly face greeting visitors and shoppers at the Forest Place in Hot Springs for six and a half years. In addition to knowing most all things Bath County, she has helped cover the phones for the chamber of commerce office next door.
The Forest Place Visitor Center at the end of the sidewalk on Main Street in Hot Springs has become a popular stop for tourist and local shoppers. The Bath County Chamber of Commerce office is located adjacent to the Forest Place shop. The shop will close at the end of December due to U.S. Forest Service budget cuts in the Warm Springs Ranger District. The chamber office will remain open and continue to provide brochures and information. All items in the shop are on sale. The shop is a joint venture of the chamber, the forest service and the Cradle of Forestry. (Recorder photos by Charles Garratt)
From candles with wooden wicks to stuffed animals to books to maps, the Forest Place store is full of items relating to Bath County and to nature. All items are on sale through the end of the year when the store will close. It is a perfect place for last minute Christmas shopping. (Recorder photos by Charles Garratt)
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