Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Meet Our New Tenant!

By: Danielle Peace

“At The Oakley Soap Co. we believe in cereal for dinner, play-dates with wine and wearing pajamas in the carpool line.” This is the opening line you will read when you visit theoakleysoapco.com to shop for guilt-free products to indulge in some self care. That opening line made me feel right at home, like our newest tenant in the JLC building, Laura Pipitone, owner of The Oakley Soap Co. I sat down with Laura to learn more about her business, how she came to be a tenant at Columbia Center, and her first encounter with our Managing Director, Ashley Rouster. In 2017, Laura was working part time and looking for a creative outlet and by 2020, what started as a fun hobby turned into a full time business. While many businesses suffered at the height of the pandemic, Laura’s business thrived, being able to help meet the needs of everyone seeking any soap they could get their hands on. Not only was she able to meet this need, but she did it all while creating 100% vegan and sustainably sourced products that are environmentally friendly. Laura’s business is sourced out of her home, and her business was operated solely online - without a brick and mortar space, which Laura prefers to work from.

Cue Ashley Rouster, Managing Director of JLC. “I saw a post on Facebook from Laura sharing that she was struggling to find a place to expand that met her needs. I was familiar with her business through her philanthropic efforts and all the ways she gives back to our community and immediately thought of our lower level. I reached out to Laura and we found out our space would be a great match! We are thrilled to be hosting her as a tenant and sharing our space with a community minded female owned local business.”

Laura will be using the basement of Junior League for “a production facility. I’m looking to expand and cannot add to my current space. I’m looking to be able to create larger batches of products.”

Laura is the sole employee of The Oakley Soap Co, who runs the business start to finish. “I make the products, run the social media pages and my website.” Her husband assists, as well as her kids - they work for ice cream. “I am looking to bring someone on, and looking to create jobs for women who can’t have a ‘traditional’ schedule - i.e. full time moms who are looking for a family working environment.”

Impressively, 98% of Laura’s supplies are purchased from women-owned businesses. Laura felt the Junior League of Cincinnati was a great match because of our mission in empowering women as leaders and involvement in the community. Laura’s also proudly partners with Transform, an organization that provides free wardrobes for transgender and gender non conforming youth. Part of her proceeds go to this organization and towards providing donation baskets for the Cincinnati Public Schools District.

If you haven’t put this article down already to check out her website, do it. (Well, maybe after finishing reading this as you’re already in the home stretch). Laura loves meeting new people in the Cincinnati area and welcomes women of the JLC to pop their heads in to say hello. Her products are not only guilt-free and safe for us and the environment, but you can check out more of her story as well as enjoy the witty humor and charisma her website displays. Laura is also working on a JLC-inspired soap, so be on the lookout for that!