I asked Sue (Mama Bear's Soaps) to tell me about the background to her business based in Florence, Wisconsin, USA. This is what she said:
I started making soaps about 5 years ago as a hobby.. but just about the time that I retired, I started selling soaps for the first time on ebay instead of just giving them all away to friends and family.. Then I got picked up along the way by the American Shaving Forums and started selling lots of soap.. I couldn't believe that I could actually sell something that I loved making so very much.. so when I moved to the Northwoods of the US here in Wisconsin (up by Canada) I looked for a house with a large basement.. found it, bought it and built not only a soap kitchen down there but also a brewery. Now I can go downstairs anytime I want to and 'play'.. trust me, it's not work to me, I love it!
About a year after I moved up here I found a small store in town that was really ugly, but cheap.. and I bought it and fixed it up and opened my store in town which is just as cute as can be and I love it!
I had decided when I retired I was going to learn all of the things that I wanted to learn about and never had the time.. learning to make things such as soap, things that weren't always available at the corner store. I was incredibly curious about botanicals, how they were grown and what the benefits of them were and I have to admit I have always been a fragrance junkie.. both natural and synthetic... and it all kind of came together as Mama Bear's Soaps. I feel like I am doing what I was meant to do for the first time.. and I have never been happier.. it brings me so much joy to make a natural item with my own hands and make people happy with those items.
About a year after I moved up here I found a small store in town that was really ugly, but cheap.. and I bought it and fixed it up and opened my store in town which is just as cute as can be and I love it!
I had decided when I retired I was going to learn all of the things that I wanted to learn about and never had the time.. learning to make things such as soap, things that weren't always available at the corner store. I was incredibly curious about botanicals, how they were grown and what the benefits of them were and I have to admit I have always been a fragrance junkie.. both natural and synthetic... and it all kind of came together as Mama Bear's Soaps. I feel like I am doing what I was meant to do for the first time.. and I have never been happier.. it brings me so much joy to make a natural item with my own hands and make people happy with those items.
I have a part timer who runs the store day to day for me.. come summertime it will be a fulltimer... we don't get many tourists this time of the year. And yes, I make all the soaps but that could change down the road if I can't keep up with it someday. I also make the colognes, shampoo and the aftershaves that I sell. There were actually 3 sales rooms in the store, so I added gifts also because of this being a tourist spot, but actually have discovered that many of the items are enjoyed locally which came as a surprise to me. I am enjoying finding my 'place' in this new community. I will never get rich off of it but at my age, that is the least of my worries.... I am just concerned with being happy these days and I get that from my products and the store and that is good enough for me.
Sue has a big following on the shaving forums and a reputation for outstanding products and service. I have her unscented shaving soap. It's very good indeed!
Take a look: Mama Bear's Soaps
Sue has a big following on the shaving forums and a reputation for outstanding products and service. I have her unscented shaving soap. It's very good indeed!
Take a look: Mama Bear's Soaps
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