Meet Athena of Antoinette's Bath House

Colorful, Fragrant and Ecclectic, this soap making studio is a feast for the senses. You will definitely want to spend some time here while you shop for soaps in every scent you can imagine and in every color on the wheel. Creative, quirky and unique, this place has something for everyone.

What has surprised you most when owning a business?

It was a lot more than I expected. There is so much more to having a brick and mortar location then to selling handmade soaps online. I don't regret it though. I have a great business partner who deals with most of that, so I can focus more on the creative part.

What was it like when you first started?

We started as an online business out of my house with Etsy and other sites like that. The product got a lot of attention and really took off. At that time, we made all the product in my house. I had no food in my fridge (I don't like to cook anyway, so it wasn't really a problem). I had nothing but soap product everywhere, my house did smell amazing though.

This space is a large, was it overwhelming to fill it?

It was actually bigger. The space was an open 4,000 sq feet and I had walls built to create the studio in the back. I wanted it big so I could grow into it. We are always producing product, so we need the space to display it. We do have a second location at 3 St. George Street, it's a smaller shop. It's decorated really fun with crazy teal wall paper, big chandeliers and glittery floors. We only sell our products out of this location. All the production comes out of King Street.

What would your customers say they love most about your business?

They like the way the store is decorated because it's colorful and fun. My customers love the atmosphere and I want ensure they have a whole shopping experience. I do have people that come in from Georgia and from different areas in south Florida, everyone loves the bath bombs!

What are some odd requests you've had from clients?

I do custom soaps, sometimes they want something really obscure, for example breast milk soap. They provide the breast milk and I use it to make the soap. It's supposed to be really good for babies. It helps with excema and dry skin.

Are all the products safe for the face?

Yes, all of our products are safe to use on the face. Some have charcoal in it, which is a magnet for dirt. The best one is "In Your Face", it has tea tree oil in it as well and it's just fantastic.

What's the base of the soap?

Palm Oil, Coconut Oil, Olive Oil and Raw Silk. Raw Silk looks like cotton and dissolves into the lye. It gives the soap extra glide.

What were the factors that made you choose this neighborhood?

I live down the street. I really like being close to where I work. That combined with the size and foot traffic, it just made sense.

Have you witnessed any significant changes since moving here?

Oh Yeah...Traffic! There is a lot of development happening, which is good for business, but not good for traffic. We can't widen narrow cobblestone streets, so we just have to deal with it. The good thing is, everyone gets stuck at the light here and has a perfect view of my store, so you could say I have great visibility.