There's a newish business on Exchange Street in Portland and it smells pretty darn good.

About two weeks ago, 2 Note Botanical Perfumery, owned by Carolyn Mix & Darcy Doniger, switched locations from its orginal spot at 10 Moulton Street. The store is currently in "gentle opening" mode across from the Oriental Table, and plans a grand opening on May 26.

"Now we can manufacture on site," Doniger said of the larger  space that looks clean and crisp with white walls and white shelving for product displays. There is also space in the rear of the space where customers and watch and smell their custom bath salts, body oils and mists being created.

"It's a first for us," said Doniger, who has owned the business with Mix since 2006, "we've never been able to do that."

The two owners are both musicians and Mix dabbled in fragrances and the like as a hobby for 16 years before opening the business.

"Carolyn made a perfume for a  friend's wedding we were performing at and after saying 'wow' I told her if she every wanted to turn it into a business I'd do the packaging. She's the substance and I'm the fluff."

Creating soft, entirely natural scents and products for bath, body and home during a time when Doniger said "synthetic fragrances are being banned left and right" has been a recipe for succes for the two owners. They're been able to keep prices down - 50 percent of the products in the shop are priced under $20 - and have cultivated a solid following of return customers.

"It's a tough economy," Doniger said, "and we're six years in."

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Shannon Bryan, content producer for MaineToday Media, likes exploring Maine - from mattress races to cardboard boats, she's into the weird stuff.

Karen Beaudoin, online editor for MaineToday Media, likes knowing the important things - like who's just opened their deck for a sunny afternoon beer and what Portland's eclectic set of street performers are up to.

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