“It came about like a fluke.”
That’s what Lisa Miller said about the opportunity to move her Forever Clean Soap Works storefront from 2603 S. Cleveland Avenue in St. Joseph to her new location at 416 State Street in downtown St. Joseph.
Miller is the owner and operator of Forever Clean Soap Works, purveyor of natural soaps, sugar scrubs, lip balms, and lotion products that she started making for herself and her children more than 20 years ago. She did it, she said, because she wanted something better than what you can find in mainstream stores.
These days, Miller is still avoiding the mainstream stores, but she’s making a move to one of the main streets of downtown St. Joseph.
“I just happened to be driving by in downtown and it just came to my mind. ‘Oh, wow. I wonder if he’d rent that.'”
The location Miller was looking at is the former State Street Meats store front owned by Ken Kozminksi. State Street Meats closed at the end of summer 2023 and has been vacant since then.
“I’ve wanted a downtown location for years and just never could find anything that would work. So I contacted (Ken) and he said, ‘Come look at it,’ and it went from there.”
Miller has enjoyed success from the days of operating a popup storefront in South Bend, Indiana to now. Since opening the location on Cleveland Avenue, Miller has built a significant base of local clientele who often place online orders for pickup. One drawback to the Cleveland Avenue location, Miller said, is the space, in that there’s too much.
“That location was too big for me. My products are very small and that has a 70-foot showroom. I don’t need 70 foot to put my stuff. This will be so much better because my products will fit in there better.”
Miller said not only will the new location allow her to better situate her goods, it will also provide a main stage to show customers how the products are made.
“The middle and back part is where I am going to be making all of the products. Everyone will be able to watch me do it!”
Miller is quick to point out that the new location will come with additional benefits including the more manageable space, more foot traffic, and… an elk head.
“There’s a giant elk head on the wall in the new location. That’s where my men’s products are going — right below that. Any guy who walks in will be drawn to the elk and will see all the men’s products that I have.”
Miller is encouraged by the support she’s receiving in person and through social media. If she isn’t quick to respond online, it might be because she’s busy making soap for the new location — anticipating a boost from people walking by.
“This is normally my quiet season. At Christmas, my store is normally very busy, I think it’s going to be like that all summer long.”
Miller said the new location on State Street is set to open by mid-April. Until then, she said she’s going to be busy making soap.
