LAKEWOOD, Ohio -- For nearly a decade, Lakewood’s STEM Handmade Soap has been responsible for fresh-smelling hands around Northeast Ohio and beyond.
“It’s a handmade soap store with skin care products,” said Dave Willett, who co-owns STEM Handmade Soap with his life/business partner Steve Meka. “We’ll be celebrating our ninth year in October.”
STEM Handmade Soap was originally started in the couple’s Lakewood basement. It was Meka’s background in biochemistry that, after 18 months of research and development, led to them selling bars of all-natural and handmade soap online.
After two years, the operation moved to 12405 Madison Ave. in Lakewood. The current product line includes bars of soap, lotions, body butters, lip balms, soy candles, aromatherapy, deodorant, bath bombs and salts, and bath accessories.
“Of course, with COVID, we certainly had to change our business model for a brief period of time, just like everybody else,” Willett said.
“The fact we were making soap, especially at the beginning of the pandemic, was kind of a boon for us. Everyone was looking for soap.
“We had a lot of new discoveries that helped us take off. Even though we had to turn on a dime how we operated, it was actually good for our business growth.”
STEM Handmade Soap currently produces 50,000 bars annually. Part of the company’s business plan accounts for a charitable aspect.
“With bars of soap, you have a lot of pieces when you’re getting to the cutting process that aren’t what we’ll call perfect in look,” Willett said. “Sometimes it can be it just doesn’t fit in our packaging or a cosmetic deficiency.
“We produce most of our soap through really large loaves you cut in several different ways. If you think of a loaf of bread, the heel pieces tend to be thrown away. Our soap end pieces aren’t perfect, but they’re fine. Those we box up and give to our partner charitable organizations.”
STEM Handmade Soap donates about 150 bars a month to the Lakewood Community Services Center, as well as to area parishes.
While the company boasts a Shaker Heights location as well, the owners are very happy to be a part of Lakewood’s Birdtown neighborhood.
“From the very beginning, we’ve always been supported,” Willett said. “Lakewood is unique in Northeast Ohio as far as how they support small businesses. It’s exceptionable.”