The owners of Finn Knows Soap has announced they are closing their brick-and-mortar store at 30 N. Water St. at the end of business on Friday.
“With inflation, the cost of gas, and increases in the cost of raw materials, it’s not feasible to keep it up. I will be returning to a regular job,” said Jen Fertig, who owns the store with her husband Rudy Peinhaupt. The couple announced the closure in a Facebook post this week.
The local artisan soap shop officially opened its doors in November of 2021, although Finn Knows Soap had already been in existence for a couple of years at farmers markets and other events as they refined their processes and began adding new products like lotions, beard oil, and even dog treats.
“All I can say is we are broken hearted to have to make this decision,” Fertig said.
They did say they’re not going away completely. “We will still be doing farmers markets and other events,” they said. “And will still be available for meet-ups if you need products during the week.”
Finn Knows Soap is a legitimate “pandemic business,” having started in 2020 when they were part of the workforce deemed “non-essential” and forced to stay home during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Fertig began making soaps at home and once she perfected the techniques, began selling at craft fairs and farmers markets. The response was remarkable and though they’re closing the store, they’re also returning to their roots and will still be found in various events.
They’re going out with a bang, staying open later this evening as part of Food Truck Friday and Rock The Route, and will be offering a Father’s Day discount for their last day of business:
