This photo was taken on May 6, 2020. Looking at it now, it's hard to believe what this space would eventually become. At the time, it was just an empty unit in a small strip mall. To us, it represented something much bigger: Old Soul Soap Company was finally moving out of our house.

The Year We Finally Ran Out of Room

For years, Old Soul Soap Company operated out of our home.

Like many small businesses, we started wherever we could find space. First it was a room. Then another room. Then shelves. Then storage totes. Before long, soap had a way of finding its way into every corner of the house.

Every year I would tell Trevor the same thing:

"We need to move this business out of the house."

And every year I got the same answer:

"One more year."

Then the next year:

"One more year."

And then again:

"One more year."

Trevor's solution was simple. Build a garage. Expand at home. Keep growing where we were.

I wasn't convinced.

I wanted Old Soul Soap Company to become a real destination for customers. I couldn't picture people driving to our house and walking into a garage to buy soap. It didn't feel like the future I envisioned for the business.

By that point, we had spent years hauling totes of soap to markets and craft shows. We loved meeting customers, but after five years of setting up booths, loading trailers, unloading inventory, and spending weekends on the road, I was ready for something different.

I wanted a storefront.

I wanted a place customers could visit.

I wanted a business that felt established and professional.

Most importantly, I wanted a home for Old Soul Soap Company that wasn't our home.

Eventually, Trevor agreed that we had officially run out of room. The search began.

Finding the right location wasn't easy. We wanted something close to home, but we also needed affordable rent. Keeping our overhead low has always been important to us because it allows us to keep our products affordable for our customers.

After looking at several options, we found exactly what we were looking for: a retail location in a small strip mall just minutes from home with rent that fit our budget.

We were beyond excited.

For the first time, Old Soul Soap Company felt like it was becoming a real business.

Then the world shut down.

In March 2020, Trevor and I began renovating our new location right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Every day seemed to bring new restrictions, new uncertainty, and new questions about what businesses would be allowed to do.

Despite the challenges, we kept going.

We painted.

We built displays.

We assembled shelving.

We transformed an empty space into what we hoped would become the next chapter of Old Soul Soap Company.

By June 20, 2020, we were finally ready to open.

Sort of.

Because of pandemic restrictions, we couldn't open the way we had imagined. Instead, we started with curbside pickup. Customers would order ahead and we'd bring their purchases outside.

It wasn't exactly the grand opening we had envisioned, but we were open.

And that was enough.

As restrictions eased and customers began visiting the store, we quickly realized something else:

We couldn't do it alone anymore.

The business had grown beyond just Trevor and Robin.

That summer we hired our first employee, April.

Nearly six years later, she's still part of the Old Soul Soap Company family.

Operating a retail store while manufacturing products on-site taught us more about business than any book, podcast, or seminar ever could.

We learned about inventory management.

We learned about staffing.

We learned about customer service.

We learned about cash flow.

We learned how quickly a growing business can evolve.

Looking back, moving out of the house was one of the most important decisions we ever made.

At the time it felt risky.

Today, it feels inevitable.

Because sometimes "one more year" is exactly what you need.

And sometimes it's the sign that you're ready for the next chapter.