Greater Fergus Falls (GFF) is pleased to announce that Creative Handmade/SoapWerks Naturals, a light manufacturer, wholesaler, and retailer is expanding and relocating to 216 W. Lincoln Ave. in downtown Fergus Falls on September 30, 2020.
A Fergus Falls native and former Fortune 500 chief technology officer, Jan Werkau left the corporate world in 2010 to pursue her dream of entrepreneurship. She and her husband, Chris, ran a personal chef business in Fergus Falls for several years before their soap business took off. Jan started out making bath and body products for friends and family but didn’t begin selling until several years later. Werkau recalls, “Our first studio was at Cascade Street Station, a space we quickly outgrew. We moved our studio downtown in May of 2019 with the goal of offering regular shopping hours in a new and expanded space.”
Prior to the pandemic, the majority of their retail sales occurred at vendor shows and art markets that they attended most weekends from March through the holidays. As with many businesses, COVID-19 forced the Werkaus to revise their business model. Once again they had outgrown their studio but hadn’t found the perfect space just yet. In August, a coveted downtown property opened up and they jumped at the opportunity to expand their retail store. They offer bath and body products, jewelry and leatherwork.
Within that same space, the duo will offer the works of over 20 local makers and artists under the moniker Creative Handmade Goods. Their maker partners range from woodworking to pottery, and home decor to hand-painted notecards.
In addition to their retail outlet, SoapWerks Naturals manufacturers both private label and wholesale bath and body products. “Private label orders are probably my favorite part of our business. We get the opportunity to help other entrepreneurs grow by creating custom products under their own label. Usually, those costs are out of reach for most small businesses but we make them affordable, and love doing it,” says Werkau.
Their new store hours will be Wednesday – Saturday from 11 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and by appointment. Consumers can shop any time online at soapwerksnaturals.com for curbside pickup, local delivery, and shipping anywhere in the U.S.
GFF CEO Annie Deckert says, “The business acumen Jan and her team possess is a true asset to our community. Seeing her growth, combined with her passion for other like-minded ‘makers’ is one of the many great reasons our entrepreneur climate is thriving. We are happy to welcome Creative Handmade/SoapWerks Naturals to our business community, and appreciate her platform of supporting other local makers.”
