Barn 5400 - Home Sweet Home
Soap Cauldron chose to become a member of the maker community, Barn 5400 located in Petaluma, CA when after five years we outgrew our 800 sqft space behind a Waldorf Toy store in Sebastopol, CA. Having been members of the Waldorf Community, our first professional space in Sebastopol felt most like home and a safe space for a company that had previously been located in our home studio. Like any fledgling company that first shift was enormous with all kinds of new considerations including production, sales, distribution, overhead, taxes, liability, insurance etc. However, our loyal consumer base supported us and we quickly outgrew the Barlow.
While that location has evolved away from the maker movement, we learned a great deal and made many friendships in the industry. The one constant we have realized is that like life the business world is full of shifts. We find the challenges continue as we grow, while some things become easier new challenges emerge like cash flow, new product considerations, consumer feedback, focus group testing, expansion, regulations and brand consistency. It’s a bit overwhelming but at the same time we find we have traction and at the core of everything is the inherent desire to remain true to the vision we had when we first dreamt up our company in 2011.
The one constant we have realized is that like life the business world is full of shifts.
Our new home, once the Old Adobe lumber yard, is a makerspace for artisans of all sorts and a place where the community can interact with local artists, brewers and musicians. It is the ideal location for our company focused on naturally made, anhydrous based personal care. Know that each product we create and offer for sale is sourced, handcrafted and packaged locally by us. Barn 5400 is a unique space where visitors can see our artisan soaps in our soap curing room, experience the scents as we blend batch after batch of bath salt, and meet our friendly staff who are happy to answer any and all questions as we greet visitors to the barn. Stop by, say hello, and know with confidence where your Three Sisters Apothecary and Soapy Tails products come from.