We’re proud to share that Lori’s Soap & Sponge Market was recently featured in Florida Inno, in a story about how a Greek sponge-diving heritage turned into a family-run soap and sponge shop on the boardwalk at John’s Pass.
For those of you who only know us from a quick stop on vacation, the article is a nice window into what happens behind the shelves. Here are a few of the things it covers, and a little more on each.
It starts in Kalymnos
Our story doesn’t begin in Madeira Beach. It begins on Kalymnos, a small island in the Greek Aegean where diving for natural sea sponges has been a way of life for centuries. Lori’s father brought that tradition with him when he came to Florida’s Gulf Coast, home to the Greek sponge-diving community of Tarpon Springs, and it’s still the reason every sponge in our shop is a real, ocean-harvested sponge rather than a synthetic one. You can read more about that history on our Our Story page.
Made here, not shipped in
One point the article makes that we’re especially glad to see in print: our goat’s milk and olive oil soaps are made locally, in our own workspace, in small batches. That’s what lets us keep the ingredient list short (olive oil, goat’s milk, herbs, salts and botanical oils) and keep an eye on every bar before it goes on the shelf. It’s also why our sea sponges are hand-cut and trimmed the traditional way instead of machine-processed. If you’ve ever wondered why a bar from Lori’s feels different from a supermarket soap, this is a big part of the answer.
A John’s Pass staple
The piece calls us a John’s Pass staple, and that means a lot. We’ve been through more than one coastal storm, and what’s kept the doors open is people: locals who come back every few weeks for their favorite scent, and visitors who found us on a walk down the boardwalk and now order online from home. As Lori puts it in the article, “Our customers are an extension of our family.”
Read the full story
The full feature is on Florida Inno: From Greek Tradition to Local Manufacturing: How Lori’s Soap & Sponge Market Became a John’s Pass Staple.
And if it makes you want to see the shop for yourself, we’re at 12917 Village Blvd in John’s Pass Village, Madeira Beach. Here’s how to find us, or you can shop our soaps and sponges online and we’ll ship them anywhere in the U.S.
Media inquiries
Writers, bloggers and local news outlets are always welcome to reach out. Call us at (727) 954-3417 or send a note through our contact page.
