The Soap Box

I’m a sucker for a soap store so I couldn’t not check this place out. The sign out front says «not just a soap store» and that’s very true — they also stock lots of other things, like mint boxes with somewhat rude slogans, whoopee cushions, rubber ducks, etc.
On the soap front, there’s actually not a huge choice of lines — they have the soap slice glycerin stuff, Crabtree and Evelyn and Pre de Provence along with a few local makers. There’s not very much in the way of imported or higher end stuff like Claus Porto or Nesti Dante.
Still, it’s a very fun place to explore and pick up some silly gifts for you or someone else (I was a fan of the «Wash Away Your Sins» and «Total Bitch» hand washes personally).

What a fun store! I had a great time smelling the different soaps, and perusing the funny gifts. They have an array of soap and gifts for everyone to enjoy.

My favorite store in downtown Seattle, for things you don’t really need but you can’t live without. If you are a hoarder or have problem with shopping, you’re going to be in trouble. They have so many awesome and quirky things, it’s going to be overwhelming. prepare yourselves! I ended up buying a dozen over priced mint boxes with funny stuff on them, how can I not buy them? They are hilarious and would make great gifts. The staff is so friendly and the owner is an adorable tiny older lady. She’s like a movie character. Be sure to check it out.

One of my favorite places on Pike Market. The first thing you notice when you walk in is the array of different unique shape soaps. The designs are addicting. It’s pricey at $ 9 a bar, therefore, I have to hum and ha a lot since this isn’t a good place for the impulse buy for these soaps. I do appreciate the museum and the detail of the soaps. They have a bin of seconds or smaller thinner pieces that are $ 4 in a discount bin that is more up my ally… or tub in this case since I use the soaps that I buy, even the pretty ones. They have so many different soaps that cater to many different fragrances, textures and styling. This used to be mostly a bath place, however, they’ve expanded to some more Kitsch stuff for everyone. This isn’t a place that you can go in for just a quick minute as you will get lost looking at everything just browsing. Be prepared to spend a good 30 minutes in the store at least. Customer service is friendly and the prices very depending on the item and quality.

Seriously? I have never reviewed one of my favorite Pike places? This was one of the first stores that became a regular stop for me when I moved to Seattle almost a decade ago. Unlike a lot of places in the area, the prices aren’t crazy. I also love buying soaps and lotions since I can justify that I have to get clean and moisturized, but it still allows me the fun of shopping. I love that you can mix your own fragrance oils to make something deliciously you. They also have a lot of great little gifts and misc silliness. Great store all the way around

Fun little shop with lots to look at. Jokes, gifts, and soaps very unique cute store. We were traveling so I couldn’t buy too much but I loved the little soap capsules for our hotel bath! The kids loved picking a bunch out.

As a young girl my mom first took me to The Soap Box on a special outing into Seattle with just she and I. My memories of that day were special and so was my trip to this fantastic store, where she bought me Seattle Rain scented glycerine soap! to this day I love that scent and Im now 43! So, I was more than a little disapointed when on my own special day trip to Seattle w/​my own young daughter to find it closed… on a Sat. @ 430! No reason posted and so I asked the next door merchant and he was unaware… then a passerby who worked in the area stated, everytime I pass by its closed… I decided to go online and sure enough the info given was that due to constrution the store would be closed Jan.1−9. Ok… except it is Jan 16! I called the store on Sun. the day after I had been there… phone just rings… no machine picks up. no explanation why this wonderful store would not be open during a weekend @ Pike Place! Im baffled… Do I try and order the items I want… pay the crazy shipping or go with out? Hmmmm… I really would hope that the web page gets updated as far as the constrution so people do not make or plan a special trip when NO ONE is available in store or even on a recorded message… Still, I love this shop and only because of my wonderful memories and the products do I even consider shopping here again… if I get the chance!

I love the Soap Box. It has been around forEVER. When I was in middle school I used to shop there for irreverent buttons on my jean jacket and bath salts, and now when I’m in Seattle I do the same thing except the buttons are now refrigerator magnets. And it hasn’t changed a bit in 25 years. I visited here with my 15 year old son and had some laughs AND bought fabulous sage bubble bath. It’s just a great place to find little treasures. I love it.

Ahhh what a fun store! Lots of fun and silly gift ideas– lots of soap and scent-​related items, and lots of random toys and trinkets. and rubber duckies! So many rubber duckies! :D They also carry that fun Blue Q stuff, I love everything in that line.
Ohh and I had been wanting some bathwater-​coloring tabs (bright blue baths YAYY!) and got a nice sized box of them here for a good price!
I think from now whenever I need a gift for ANYONE IN THE WORLD I will just come here.

My skin loves oils without scent. My skin loves soaps without scent. I have been coming here for decades!
Get a punch card, and enjoy the rewards!
I do not know WHAT I would do without this establishment!

We visited the Soap Box on ⁵⁄₃₀. I must say, this place is great! I think the lady who helped us was the owner. She was awesome ! She mixed some scented lotion for us and was really patient with finding the perfect scent! You definately have to stop in the store, its near starbucks at Pikes place!

Okay we spent more than an hour in this shop then left, and came back for some more. The owner is delightful and she humored me as I cracked up at all the great things she has here. Some others have mentioned the sayings but the «After last supper» dinner mints, «I love my penis» soap and all the sayings on the 50s style magnets got me. She has a section that is 100% girly and another section of unique wind up toys for kids. We had a great time and I spent a pretty penny here to prove it. All good fun!
PS — I triple heart my new lunch bag!!!

I forgot to write my review of this last moonth.
I love to come here. I buy soaps and little cards and other gifty things. The soaps are excellent quality and the many hand and body lotions you can’t get other places.
Each time I come there is a new theme and new things to try as well as old time favorites.

I have been coming here for YEARS! This is where I get ALL my soaps. Yes, it’s a little pricey for just ONE bar of soap but when you get out of the shower, you know you smell — «SPECIAL». I am worthy of my smell.
There are other items in the store. You’ll just have to check it out and experience the the bubbley essence surroundings.
A little warning. When you enter this little shop, make sure you take a deep inhale through your nose after you enter and you’ll be overwhelmed by the total scent of this place.
A MUST GO! =)

I have six words for you: Naked Men in Oven Mitts Magnets. Best. Souvenir. Ever.

I needed a rubber ducky. And voila. enter The Soap Box. Such a randomly placed store, I get why it’d be around Pike but it’s definitely not strictly a touristy store. There are a bunch of places like this in Boston. A combination of beauty needs (soaps, scents, etc), Dirty Girl and Anne Taintor kind of stuff combined with random knick knacks. aka. rubber ducks.
The woman working didn’t really acknowledge my presence as I walked in and browsed around. but it’s not like I’d have chatted with her and said. «I’ve come to you. about a duck». so I was fine with my solo duck hunting. Although such a cool store would be enhanced with a good attitude. Meh.
I stumbled on some pretty rad bath supplies (curtains, etc) and had fun looking through it all. Definitely would stop by again for gifts. Extra star for finger puppets at the counter. What can I say. I’m an addict. And of course. for the ninja star duck I bought for my friend. Success!

Just when you’re ready to dismiss Pike Place Market as a tourist trap filled with cheesy t-​shirts and airborne fish, a little hidden gem comes along and surprises you all over again. Or at least, that was my experience on a recent trip — I was actually there on a cheesecake-​sampling mission, but my girly radar picked up a blip on the way, and I had no choice but to take a detour to investigate the Soap Box.
Located on Pike, down the street from the bronze pig (and a few doors down from Beecher’s), the Soap Box is tucked away in the market’s interior, with only a small hanging sign on the sidewalk to announce its presence. But it’s worth searching out if you love fancy soaps, need a quick-​but-​cute gift, or just want to marvel at the sight of more bars of soap than you’ve ever seen in one place before.
It’s not so much that they have brands that you’ve never seen — although they do — but that they have a much wider selection than you’ll have seen at other stores. Love those pretty, colorful designer soap slices by Primal Elements? Most boutiques might have six or eight scents to choose from, but the Soap Box has easily twenty-​five. Same with Pre de Provence — I had no idea the company made more than five or six different scents, because I’d never seen more than that, but an entire wall of the store is filled with box upon box of different sizes, scents, and shapes. Ever smelled a brazil-​nut soap? How about avocado? This is your chance.
In addition to the mind-​boggling array of soaps, they also have gift sets, bath beads, handbags, and some candles. In other words, you’d be hard-​pressed to look through the store and not find a perfect gift for somebody, even if it’s just yourself. The sheer volume of soaps can be overwhelming to the eye and nose, but you can always step out for some hombow and cheesecake to cleanse your palate before coming back for a second run. And that’s the true beauty of Pike Place Market!

As far as eclectic and really good smelling products go this is a great source.
As far as friendly customer service goes — not so much.
Now there are a few employees from time to time that are friendly, outgoing, and willing to help, but on the whole the majority of the staff act as if they could care less if you buy something or not. I put up with this shameful treatment simply because of their location and their extensive selection of scents to make my own spray or oil. And in retrospect, that’s all this store is good for.

I like the name of the store and I love the «Wash Away Your Sins» soap. The towelettes make great stocking stuffers. I always get soaps for my mom from here, because they’re the perfect handmade gifts for moms who spent the 70’s making their own yogurt, burning incense and buying honey in bulk buckets. The massage oils are really, really nice and the place smells terrific.

The name says it all they have soap, soap, and more soap. Actually they have more then that. They also have oils, plastic ducks, massage stuff, and other smelly stuff. If I’m looking for a lat minute present for a girl or some «Wash Away Your Sins» hand soap, this is the place I stop.