LAUREL AVENUE SOAP COMPANY

Laurel Avenue is a handmade soap company that was started by two very determined young ladies in early 2005. We are both college students at Clarion University of Pennsylvania with busy schedules and a lot of ambition. We needed something to do, as we were both unemployed college students at the time. We had no idea that our small idea could bring such big possibilities.

We started out as solely a bath & body product company, specializing in soaps & lotions. After tons of research and with the help of a trusty double boiler we have created a lot of great products. All of our products are handmade by us. We DO NOT re-sell other crafters bath & body products under the Laurel Avenue name. 

We wanted to create products that were gentle on skin as we both have sensitive skin. Many of our products are natural or organic and we buy our herbs from local farmers and organic stores to ensure quality. Being people who grew up in the rural Pennsylvania, we choose to support local farmers and businesses rather than large corporations. All of our products meet vegetarian guidelines, and many are also vegan friendly as well. We try to steer clear of harsh chemicals and preservatives.

We put a lot of hard work and long hours into each of our items. Our products are not lab tested and we do not test our products on animals (unless our boyfriends count... haha). Family and friend tested only. We want to give everyone quality, unique, handmade products at prices people can afford.

LAUREL AVENUE HANDMADE GIFTS

When we began, we spent a few years solely in the challenging craft show and festival circuit. Many of our shows required us to wake up before even the early bird was awake and travel distances of on average two or three hours away. All the early mornings and long drives to appear at shows were tiring. Plus, there was very little chance to meet up with customers again, unless they were internet savvy or frequented craft shows.

In March 2007, I met Denise, a wonderful businesswoman who owns the store The Accidental Artist which is also located on Main Street in Clarion. I was drawn to her beautiful window display and went in to learn more about her work. While there we got to talking, as women do, and she told me of her first storefront, which had just come up for rent. Because of our conversation, I contacted the owner and we were given the opportunity to open a small storefront in a great location of Main Street in Clarion, PA.

While at our first store, we enjoyed meeting new people and were happy to see that others also loved our products that we worked so hard to produce. We were also surprised about the amount of people who asked if we offered consignment for other crafters. With our regular sales, fundraising, and party favor orders on the rise, we simply did not have enough room to grow in our little store. We spent a mere three months in that location before we were ready to stretch our legs and move on to a larger location.

Today, Laurel Avenue Handmade Gifts is located at 505 Main Street which is at the corner of Main Street & Fifth Avenue in Clarion, PA. We are just two blocks down from our old location. With our new location, we have been able to share our good fortune with other crafters and artisans. It is now a great place to find handmade things. We also have a large workspace and classroom area to host craft classes and other community events. We are very excited about our new opportunities and we look forward to meeting you too! Please feel free to stop by anytime.