Nerwon Rose Moon’s MVL
Photo: MVL
Last Saturday, we were on a mission to secure some of the last local freestone peaches of the season from Josh’s Farmers Market in Mooresville. But when we got there, we discovered so much more than we’d come looking for. We found a whole community of supportive customers, a bounty of locally sourced products, and some special entrepreneurs like Nerwon (Rose) Moon and her husband, Rernard. Their smiling faces greeted the crowd of thirsty market goers from inside their beautifully converted vintage trailer, the Sweet Magnolia Mercantile. Rose and Rernard pop up at all kinds of events, and can usually be found at Josh’s on Saturdays serving up Rose’s fresh-squeezed lemonades and fruit tea elixirs. Let us be clear, this is not just any lemonade. Rose is a flavor mixologist who has perfected the balance of tart, sweet, and joy in every cup.
We couldn’t decide which lemonade to choose - Citrus Hibiscus Pineapple, Moroccan Mint Apricot, or Jalapeno Lime. So obviously, we decided to try them all! Not only are Rose’s drinks complex and refreshing, they’re nourishing. You can taste the high quality of fresh ingredients. Rose hand squeezes each piece of fruit, small-batch brews her tea, and refuses to take shortcuts with mixes or powders. Of course, we weren’t at all surprised to discover that Rose and Rernard are just as interesting as the flavors they serve. We decided we had to know more…
You could do anything Rose, so why this?
“I love to create things. I think if I were in an office environment, I couldn’t be as creative. I’m a free thinker. And I just felt like I had the power to create my path, and this is what I love to do.”
What do you love most?
“When people say, ‘This is really good’, well, it makes me smile. You know, I try a lot of different flavor combinations out on Rernard, (lucky him) but I go by my own taste too. I mean, If i’m inspired, I just go with it! A lot of times I’m nervous when I come out here with a new flavor. And when people taste it, of course i’m looking for that reaction. And they’ll say, ‘Oh my God!’ and then I feel like, YES!! I did a good job.”
Why Mooresville?
“Mooresville picked us. It really did. We were relocating from Charleston and we thought of moving to Gastonia or Kings Mountain because it’s closer to the I85 and more convenient for visiting our extended family. But every time we found a home that we liked over there, it was gone. Then we found a home in Mooresville, and everything just clicked and it all went smoothly. So, Mooresville chose us.”
What do you like about it?
“The people here are very supportive. Very friendly. It truly is a welcoming place. The traffic is a little challenging! But they’ve got just about everything here that anybody would need.”
How is it different from Charleston?
“I find that people are supportive in both communities. But in Charleston, the lifestyle is more, hmm, how should I say this? Carefree.”
Rose Moon, What’s your MVL?
“I’m a giving person, so I like to create things that people enjoy. I just love to give. And I love to create. What I put into my own body, that’s what I’m going to give to you. 100% pure. I care about people, so I put my love into what I do.”
