Photo courtesy Bon Air Soap Co.
It’s a story continuing to make headlines, the hardships the pandemic has caused for everyone, including businesses. For Leslie Arthur, 90% of her bath and body company’s sales were lost after festivals and farmers markets shut down. Switching to online-only sales, she struggled to make a profit, feeling like a small fish in a big pond. When she noticed that a storefront became available earlier this year at the Bon Air Shopping Center on Buford Road, she started to wonder if she should snag it for her business. Weighing the risks, she made the leap, reciting the words of Kevin McCallister from the film “Home Alone” — “I’m not afraid anymore!” she says with a laugh. Rebranding the business as Bon Air Soap Company, she opened in late May.
The boutique offers a fun burst of bright colors, with beautifully swirled soaps displayed in a variety of pleasing scents. Bath bombs, lotion bars and shampoo bars add to the kaleidoscope of products lined up on the tables. There’s also a children’s section, with bath bombs featuring a surprise inside: a toy sponge that can be played with after the bomb dissolves.
Photo by Catt Pulli Photograhy
The products are 95% natural, aside from the colorant. The shampoo bars contain a preservative, but Arthur felt that was a small sacrifice to reduce plastic waste, since bottles are not needed. Sustainability is at the forefront of her business, from compostable plastic wrap to cardboard lip balm tubes.
“We’re finding a lot of customers are coming in and wanting the pampering feel of a luxurious product but are excited about the low impact without all the plastic,” she says.
All products are priced at less than $15, and Arthur eventually wants to offer soap-making classes.
“I’m just super grateful right now to have been able to go through this crazy, crazy time and come out on the other side with a whole other adventure ahead of me,” she says.
