Handbrewed Soaps are in Ohio, Wisconsin, Montana, Los Angeles and San Francisco! April 27, 2017 00:00

We are so pleased to welcome five new stores to our wholesale family.  What does that mean for you?  Well, you can now get Handbrewed Soaps locally!  Woo-hoo!  May I introduces: 

The Birch Tree Furniture

The Birch Tree Furniture is a family owned, local business out of Canton, Ohio. They specialize in ‘different’, from custom furniture to accessories. They strive to find the best, hottest and most unique items in home decor. 

Brick and Mortar Home and Outdoor 

This great store was established in 2009. Located in Lake Geneva, WI, this shop is known for keeping in mind a modern take on the “Home.” Their store sets an example of quality, style, and personality.  From bedding to sofas to beer and wine soap, their wide range of style and prices will excite every visitor!

Da Vinci LA 

DAVINCI, based in Los Angeles, CA, is a custom furniture and design house where the owners share their enthusiasm for helping clients large and small, boardroom to living room, realize their own design dreams. DAVINCI is a Minority Business Enterprise where everything is made in the USA.

Toucan Arts

Toucan Arts is an art gallery, gift boutique, and custom picture framing shop in Billings, Montana.  This great establishment is dedicated to making art and the creative spirit available to everyone. They also provide education in art, creativity, design, and media through Toucan Academy. 

Whistle 

Whistle is located in the Sunset district of San Francisco.  This great store offers a fun and eclectic mix of international housewares, gifts and accessories. Whistle's products are hand-selected by shop owner Katie G., a veteran buyer and merchandiser for several of the Bay Area's premier retail establishments!

Beer Soap and Wine Soap Coming To A Town Near YOU! March 13, 2017 00:00

Can’t find beer soap or wine soap in any local stores near you?  Well, hold up! Handbrewed Soaps would like to introduce three stores that have joined the Handbrewed Soaps Wholesale Family.  

Meet Clever Element based out of Carlsbad, CA.  This shop started because the boss lady Andreea strongly believes in the power of opportunity- opportunity for artists, both locally and around the world, to self-sustain through their craft, and to grow and share their passion with the world. Her store provides this opportunity by welcoming in artists from California to artisan co-ops from India, Guatemala, Romania, Nepal and more. 

Meet HYDEN YOO out of Venice, CA!  Hyden Yoo is the creative head of his namesake label since 2008.   The Hyden Yoo Brand is known for subtle detailing, clean lines, with special attention to fit and fabric at accessible price-points. 

And last but not least, meet Feather Boutique out of  Senoia, Georgia.  Where Shabby Chic meets Country Couture, this store is described as the best western boutique in town.

So, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome!  If you live in these areas, go mosey on over and say hi. While you’re at it, support these awesome stores by buying something… Mother’s and Father’s Day are around the corner! 😘  Find other stores near you by clicking HERE!

Feature Friday: Old Yak Bazaar January 27, 2017 00:00

Picture Create: Localwise

Meet Wen (the boss lady) and Tenzin (the boss dude) of the Old Yak Bazaar. They own this awesome alternative trading company that has a curated selection of artisanal fair trade and indie designs in Berkeley, CA.

The journey of the Old Yak began as Wen and Tenzin traversed the Indian subcontinent to meet with fair trade producers and visit back alley rural workshops. Countless train and rickshaw rides later, the duo launched their online shop in Minneapolis in December 2013 and opened their first retail shop in Berkeley, California in October 2014.

They are committed to the principles of fair trade, sustainability, and all things handmade. Drop in for a visit, you’ll find something you’ll like, you’ll even find Handbrewed Soaps!

Handbrewed Soaps Goes To Australia! October 27, 2016 10:52

Photo Credit: http://publocation.com.au

Eric and I are extremely happy to report… you can find Handbrewed Soaps down under! Yes, the next time you are in Australia (Paterson to be exact), stop by the Paterson Tavern, have a drink and take a homebrewed bar of soap home with you too!

The coolest thing about partnering with them is the amazing history of the Paterson Tavern. Catch this:

In the early 19^th Century, Paterson Tavern was the first commercial hotel in the area. It provided food and drinks to the locals. Eventually it expanded to a coach depot and became a popular destination for travelers. Today, it is still a popular destination, known for its’ great selection in beer !

Now that’s something we can get behind!!!

Feature Friday - Special Day Crates July 29, 2016 05:22

Feature Friday- Apricot Lane Boutique: Wisconsin Dells July 15, 2016 00:00

Meet Megan Nelson (and her husband.) She’s the owner of Wisconsin Dell’s Apricot Lane. Apricot Lane is a specialty retail franchise that offers a variety of fashion apparel, jewelry, handbags, gifts and more. Handbrewed Soaps has just recently partnered with this great store (you’ll will find our wine soaps here!) Below, Megan shares her wisdom, and passions. Read her amazing interview below!

Tell us about you and your store? We are a women’s fashion boutique that carries primarily women’s clothes, but also accessories (hats, scarves, handbags).  I love gifts as well, so we do have a good amount of gifts that are perfect for any occasion (wine bags, signs, lip scrubs, wine wipes, wine cooler bags that comes with a wine opener- yikes do you see my wine trend!!!)  We are still very new. We opened August 27th, 2015.

What advice would you give to another person about opening a brick and mortar?  Get ready for long hours and prepare for some frustrated days, but keep going, and it all gets better.  Or at least you get into a flow and can handle the day-to-day challenges better. Keep a positive attitude and only do what makes you happy.  If you are no longer happy, you need to move on and make the best of the situation!! 

What is your favorite activity to do in Baraboo?  We live in a tourist destination.  Our physical address is “Baraboo”, but we are actually located in Lake Delton/Wisconsin Dells.  We are the Waterpark Capital of the World. There are so many fun waterparks to go to!  The best one is Kalahari Resort. It’s an awesome waterpark that has great food, beverages and an amazing, knowledgeable staff!!

What is your favorite wine and why?  Edizione Pennino Zinfandel (Inglenook, Napa Valley).  My husband and I have been to CA to do wine tours a handful of times and one of the tours was at Inglenook.  We went with a few of his family members and we all just fell in love with the winery and with our tour guide.  It was like we were in an old movie and we ate it up!!  This was before we were married, so at our wedding we had a decanter of this wine at our head table.  After my husband gave his speech and thanked everyone for attending our wedding, he reached for the decanter to fill his wine glass and ended up knocking my wine glass (full of this wine) all over me!  Even though this wine had the potential to ruin my night, it’s still our favorite and I wouldn’t have it any other way!  **I did have a cocktail dress to change into, but it obviously isn’t the same as your wedding dress on your big day!**

 

Thanks for letting us get to know you better Megan! It’s great partnering with you! So to all of our Wisconsin Dell locals… go visit her store! She is AMAZING!!!

Feature Friday- Orange Plum: A Skin Bar June 17, 2016 00:00

Meet Jazmine Jackson. She’s the owner of Orange Plum: A Skin Bar. We’ve been retail partners for the past two years. This amazing Oakland business owner has combined her love of travel, skincare, and handmade accessories into one by having her “brick and mortar” on wheels. That’s right, she has transformed a bus into a skin bar boutique! So you know I was thrilled when she agreed to be our guest blogger! Today she is going to share her thoughts and her (VERY COOL) concept… a traveling beauty bus. Learn more about her service (massage, facials, waxing and much more!) HERE! And read her amazing interview below!

 

What inspired you to open your store/spa?

I'm an Esthetician and have been in the industry for over six years. I started my career in the Bay Area and have worked in all types of shops and salons. Over time I became comfortable with my skills and with the idea that I'm always going to come across new information and techniques that improve our skin. So I created a space where I could continue to grow as an Esthetician. And that's how Orange Plum: A Skin Bar came to be. 

What are the benefits of having your store on wheels?

I can share my LUV of skin care with more people. A lot of times I come across people I otherwise would not have meet. And some of the conversations that happen on the bus are priceless. It's pretty amazing!

What do you hope your customers "take away" from their shopping/spa experience?

When people step inside "Orange" I hope they’re happy. If they leave feeling more confident and having gained a little more knowledge about there skin - Wonderful! Also I try and promote local herbalist, designers and artists. If I can get the word out about what other creative are doing in Oakland and how a lot of our work ties together… these are some of the experience I hope folks leave with.

What advice would you give someone that wants to open a mobile store/spa?

Go for it. You have some many versions happening right now- mobile, barbershop, shoe store, photo booth. If you’re in for a long-term project, yeah, go for it.

What is your favorite "local" activity?

Without question, it's the Weekend Day Parties happening right now. With all this nice weather it's perfect!

Thanks so much Jazmine for your thoughts! It’s great partnering with you! So to all of our Oakland locals… hit her up! She is AMAZING!!!

All photos are from Orange Plum's website!

North Coast Brewing Company Beer Soap February 03, 2016 16:19

Eric and I were first introduced to North Coast Brewing Company through a local pub that us teachers frequented on Friday nights back in 2004. North Coast’s Blue Star Wheat was our ‘staple’ on those occasions. We often pondered where this mystery brewery was (most of us used maps or had to PRINT out directions to go anywhere back then! It was archaic times!) Thinking the bartender would know, we asked if he knew where North Coast Brewing Company was located. All we got was a smart-ass replied of, “ Probably on the NORTH COAST!”

About a year later, Eric and I took a road trip up north during our spring break. Our goal of this trip was to see how far north we could get during our spring break before we had to turn around to go back to our classrooms. On day one of our trip, we rolled through Mendocino and entered Fort Bragg. We were extremely hungry and needed to find a place to eat. As we drove through town, we discovered North Coast Brewing Company. It was as if we had found the Holy Land. We gave each other high fives and hugs. We took pictures (on a disposable camera!!!) of us in front of their sign. We had to prove to our friends that we had found it! Then as we entered their brewpub, the nicest people in the whole entire world greeted us. There are no words to explain our experience that day in their pub. Let’s just say we didn’t end up continuing on our journey north, as we wound up staying in Fort Bragg for three days.

Since then, we’ve made annual trips there for the Fourth of July, Paul Bunyan Days, or just for whatever. So it was an honor that on our latest trip, Eric and I got to meet Mark and design beer soap for him. We currently make five beer soaps for North Coast Brewing Company that you can only get at their brewery, bottle shop, or website. We make soap out of Old Rasputin, Puck, The Pranqster, Le Merle, and Brother Thelonious. We hope the soaps remind you of the first few sips of their beer, and just how cool North Coast Brewing Company is!