LUCERNE, Calif. – A Clearlake couple who earlier this year launched their own soap making business will celebrate the grand opening of their new storefront this weekend.
Tiffany and James Meek have opened “The Soap Shack Baby” at 6199 E. Highway 20, in the Lucerne Harbor Artists center at Lucerne Harbor Park.
The store will hold its grand opening this Saturday and Sunday.
The Meeks offer about 14 varieties of handcrafted, all natural soaps and skin care products, and have quickly developed an enthusiastic customer following.
Building from an olive oil base, their natural product line includes soap varieties made with lavender and peppermint, banana, vanilla, pear, coconut, and even wine and beer. Their soap also is wrapped in an organic, seeded paper that can actually be planted.
James Meek, who has had a variety of jobs over the years – from mining to, today, working in information technology – began making soap as a hobby about 10 years ago, as he was becoming interested in herbal remedies and natural healing.
“It’s almost like a meditation for me to make soap,” he said, explaining the creative process in putting together different blends of herbs and essential oils, and finding just the right balance in the various ingredients.
Tiffany said her mother had made soap, so she was familiar with the process.
However, the couple didn’t seriously consider going into the soap making business until late last year.
It was last Christmas, when Tiffany purchased some soap as gifts, that the conversation began in earnest.
When they got the soap, James checked it out and quickly concluded that he could make a better product.
They began making their first soap batches in January, using a 27-foot travel trailer next to their home for the soap manufacturing. They also joined the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild, a nationwide trade organization.
In February, the Meeks opened their soap business, with each still holding a full-time job – he works for Twin Pine Casino in Middletown, she works for Lower Lake County Water Works.
They’ve marketed and sold their products at crafts fairs and events in Lake and neighboring counties, and also have a booth at the farmers’ market at Steele Wines in Kelseyville.
When they started earlier this year, they had about 4,000 bars of soap, and they estimate they’ve already sold about half of that supply.
They can make 56 bars a day, with James explaining that making the soap itself takes about a month.
The Meeks say their top seller is the “Cool Down Baby!” soap, made with peppermint and eucalyptus.
“This is just fun,” said James, looking over the products he and his wife have created.
In addition to soap, they also offer lip balms in flavors such as cherry, root beer, chocolate, coconut, peppermint, pomegranate, vanilla and cucumber melon.
They’re planning to expand into other products as well, with a lot of requests for liquid soap and lotion. James said their eventual goal is to offer a full body shop with an even larger line of products.
In June, they began moving into the Lucerne store at the artists center, which is owned by the county of Lake and opened in 2008 after extensive renovations.
Previously, the county primarily rented the spaces to local artists.
However, last year the county decided to make the storefronts available for rent not just for artists but also to tourist-related industries, said Mireya Turner, the assistant clerk to the Lake County Board of Supervisors.
Turner said The Soap Shack Baby is a good fit, as it draws customers to the area.
The new space will offer the Meeks room to grow at an affordable $200-per-month rate.
The soap manufacturing side of the business is now moving to the Lucerne shop. The Meeks said visitors will be able to stop in, purchase soap and even watch it be made on site.
They’re also getting a lot of requests for soap making classes. “That’s in the future,” said Tiffany.
Sales have been building steadily, both with their booth and online at their Web site, http://www.thesoapshackbaby.com/ . They also have an active Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/SoapShackBaby .
Hours for the weekend grand opening are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. All products will be 50 percent off.
Regular business hours going forward will be Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Weekend hours will vary, based on what shows and events they’re attending.
Watch their Facebook page for updates, or contact them at
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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