By Erin Walsh
What’s the cure for cooler-weather, recession-induced blues?
Why, a little slice of olfactory heaven swathed in a warm and cozy lavender interior known as The Little Soap Shop, located slightly off the beaten path of the stretch of Astoria housing popular eateries 718 and Taverna Kyclades, at 22-07B 36th Street.
The petite, inviting establishment, which has been open full time a little more than a year and part time for two years, is owned by Astoria native Vivian Dritsas, a former paralegal who loved her former co-workers, but eschewed the “boring,” 9-to-5 routine inherent in her previous job.
On weekends, Dritsas enrolled in a three-month soapmaking class in Manhattan and knew she had found her niche.
“The moment I put my hands on it, that was it,” she said.
She started out modestly, making small batches of soap to give as presents to her girlfriends and family.
Dritsas became hooked with the organic bug as a child.
“As a young girl, my mom was a very organic person,” she said. “I remember always liking natural products for my skin.”
All soaps are handmade by Dritsas using essential oils such as eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, tea tree, cedar, saffron, cinnamon, orange clove, oatmeal spice and pure oil olive, one of the store’s most popular scents.
For the holidays, Dritsas makes specialty soaps in the form of cake slices, cupcake slices and loaf cakes.
In addition to soaps, lip balms, bath and shower products, body butters, bath teas and pet care items, The Little Soap Shop carries items made by local artisans, including beaded jewelry, organic screen printed cotton totes and custom-order hand-painted sneakers.
“It’s a soap shop, but we like to promote artists as well,” Dritsas said.
In addition to making soap and working at The Little Soap Shop 10 to 12 hours a day, Dritsas is teaching private soapmaking lessons to children, during which they learn to melt and pour soap.
She also hosts spa parties in her home for girls, where for $210 young pampering devotees are treated to spa manicures and pedicures, facial cleansing treatments and oatmeal masks using all vegan soaps, set to the tune of gentle, relaxing music. They also receive grab bags with party favors to bring the spa experience home, she said.
As one might imagine, although Dritsas’ client base is primarily female, she caters to a roughly 40 percent male clientele, selling men’s razors and badger brush sets and old-fashioned men’s shaving kits for $85.
“All of the men in my family come to see me for skin problems,” she said.
In addition to peddling handmade soaps, another service that Dritsas provides is a relentlessly positive attitude that is reinforced by affirmative messages scrolled on the stainless-steel counter she uses to package soaps: “Happiness is real when shared,” “Always have a sense of humor,” and “Would’ve, could’ve, should’ve, [but] didn’t so move on.”
“I have to remind myself that I’m lucky,” she said. “I have my health, friends, family [and] my fiancé.”
Dritsas learns daily on the job how to effectively run her small business, from maintaining the books to determining inventory control.
She read a book on business written by a successful entrepreneur that taught her “how to succeed in business is to fail.”
“I always believe that where there’s a will, there’s a way,” she said.
“When you have your health, life isn’t hard,” she said. “You can always make money.”
