Photo by Sydney Cromwell
The Hoover location of Buff CIty Soap opened in Riverchase on July 1. Buff City Soaps offers a variety of bath products made in the store, with natural ingredients.
The owner of Buff City Soap Company’s Birmingham stores, Jeff Collier, said there’s an easy way to tell if their products are quality: how frequently do customers come back for more?
“Our repeat rate is over 99 percent,” Collier said. “Our customer return is incredibly high, which tells us our product is good.”
Buff City Soap is a five-year-old, Memphis-based company that first came to Birmingham in 2017 with a location on U.S. 280. On July 1, Collier opened a new store in Riverchase, a location he said is more accessible and close to other Hoover shopping hot spots.
The company is based on body products with a short list of all-natural ingredients, such as shea butter, charcoal, tea tree and other oils. Collier said Buff City Soap employees make the soaps right in the store, with each “loaf” taking 30 to 45 minutes to make and about three days to cure before it can be cut into individual bars.
“It’s all about a good experience,” he said.
Collier said the soap is made “the old cowboy way,” without tallow, parabens or other common soap ingredients. That makes them a popular choice for customers with severe acne and dry or sensitive skin.
The shelves inside Buff City Soap’s new Riverchase location feature a rainbow of swirled soap bars, ranging from fruit and floral scents to oatmeal, hemp and “Man Soap.” Collier said they also sell unscented soaps that are popular with hunters.
Top sellers include the activated charcoal soap and scents called “Narcissist” and “Love Potion.”
In addition to soaps, Buff City also sells shower oils, bath bombs and salts, shampoos, beard oil, body butters, lip balm, face cleaners and moisturizers, laundry detergent and pet bath products.
“The bath bombs are addictive. People love them,” Collier said.
Buff City can make gift boxes or customized products for clients, in addition to hosting bath bomb parties and teaching kids or adults how to make bath bombs they can take home with them.
Since the opening of the newest store, Collier said response has been “fantastic,” which he attributes to the quality of the products.
“That’s what makes us happy is to hear people enjoy what we make,” Collier said.
Soap bars and bath bombs are $6, with the other Buff City products around that price range. Collier said their products also tend to last a while.
“We try to keep things realistic here. It’s soap,” Collier said.
Collier said there aren’t any other locations planned for Birmingham, but Buff City planned to begin franchising locations this fall.
The Hoover location is at 4745 Chace Circle, Suite 109. Learn more about Buff City Soap at buffcitysoap.com.
