# selling logs in stores



## Kalne

I have a store that wants to try this. Do any of you? I've sold logs before to customers but I don't cure them...I let them cut and cure them. But for a store the log would need to be cured. So.....is a 4 week cure going to be good enough for a log? Do you provide a box and cutter? I was thinking of doing it with my more decorative soaps that would draw a lot of attention.


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## Anita Martin

I'm not entirely sure the logs would be easy to cut if they cured for very long. At least mine wouldn't be.


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## a4patch

elwood thompson ( a health food store) does this in Richmond, but, they sell melt and pour. I am not sure how you could explain that the inside of the soap would not be as hard as the outside.


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## hsmomof4

I know that Zum does logs in some stores, but their recipe might be relatively soft to start with and would perhaps work better being reasonably well-cured that way?


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## NubianSoaps.com

Something really cute is the appearance of logs, but they are actually cut. Loafs with cake papers between them, so you get the whole appearance of a log, especially cute when it's a cake. And 8 and 9 inch circle cakes, cut into a pie shape, with round pie doily papers inset under and around each piece. I went to the dollar store and purchased 3 goblets and 3 sundae dishes for $1, and glass plates for $1 each, epoxied the bottom of the plate to the bottom of the goblets and sundae dishes, cute cheap cake plates that fit an 8 inch round cake. These 'cakes' have sold so well that I keep them in boxes ready to sell, so I am not having to take them down of the cake stands.

Logs are super popular you pretty much have to offer them, most ask about them eventually. Vicki


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## Kalne

Those are really pretty, Vicki! The same store that wants my logs has zum logs. I checked them out and they looked pretty hard...in fact you could tell by the way they were getting cut that they weren't easy to cut and they were just using a wavy cutter. The H&B dept. manager prefers my soap over Z's and does her best to promote it.


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## [email protected]

I love the cake/stand idea.  Ya got a pic?


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## MF-Alpines

Very pretty, Vicki. I'd love to see a pic of the cake stand, too.


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## jdranch

Kalne said:


> Those are really pretty, Vicki! The same store that wants my logs has zum logs. I checked them out and they looked pretty hard...in fact you could tell by the way they were getting cut that they weren't easy to cut and they were just using a wavy cutter. The H&B dept. manager prefers my soap over Z's and does her best to promote it.


  awesome!


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## NubianSoaps.com

Here is the setup for my new store  The one on the right is a goblet turned upside down with the plate epoxied to it (get the two syringe kind for glass, that you simply mix equal parts of both syringes onto some cardboard and mix it and use it, that way you can keep reusing the syringes over and over, I have done 6 of these so far and I still have some left to do at least 2 more. The goblet just has a glass plate epoxied to it. The shorter one is a sundae glass, I guess for ice cream, same thing, upside down with a plate epoxied to it. Pretty is you can fill the underside of the glass with flowers, shells, anything you can think of.


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## NubianSoaps.com

Kathy that is key, when the folks in the store love your products, they push them over even commercial ones. It's just the second weekend at the market I am going to start doing full time, giving the two sisters who run the place soap, they have sent me customers already. I have purchased Zum bars before, they are certainly not better than the soaps we do, they just have a name and million dollar marketing  Vicki


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## [email protected]

KEWL! Thanks.  My dad has been making those ******** wine glasses* the same way. So I'll just pick up some plates/goblets and have him do them for me. Will make nice displays at flea market.


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## Anita Martin

Now those are just darling!


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## 2Sticks

I love what you've done with you display and new products Vicki!!!!!!!


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## NubianSoaps.com

Thanks Tamera, the Apple Berry Picnic was a huge success in the cupcakes and hearts! It is just lovely and mixes so well with other scents, like CHOCOLATE  Vicki


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## VickiLynne

Just beautiful Vicki! Great idea! Hope you do very well in your new shop!

Vicki/NC


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## NubianSoaps.com

Thanks Vicki! It's on highway frontage so being able to put up advertising on a fence just north of Houston on 59 as folks go to and from work.... is amazing advertising for free. All week with the market empty you can see my building and my sign on the building, so more advertising. So the sales on weekends I really am going to feel like are just a small bonus. It's also a flat fee, I do not have to pay for electrical or do any of the upkeep, and the place is spotlessly clean, so I am very happy. My shop is also a stand alone, no neighbors and no competition allowed.

A huge thanks to Dee Kennerly on here, she was at the market and told me about the building for rent! What a great friend. Vicki


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## Aja-Sammati

Cute ideas, Vicki!

I was going to ask the same question, and I didn't see it answered yet...how long is a good cure on logs? I was thinking 6 weeks?


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## NubianSoaps.com

I don't cure them that long at all, just enough so the outside is shipable. For my round and bundt cakes, I don't want them cured because it's impossible to get pretty cuts. So they sit on the cake plates whole and I cut them. Now if I cut them for the displays, than they are cured. I simply put them into organza bags, and sell them as they pick their piece. Vicki


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## tmfinley

You might have to make a log and test it yourself to see how easy or difficult it will be to cut when cured. Maybe have to tweak your recipe a little depending on the results. I'm sure that is not what you were looking for as an answer but that is the only thing I can think of.


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## NubianSoaps.com

Of course Tiffany is right. From how much scent to use, to what recipe you can put off to cut into logs...it's all trial and error.


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## NubianSoaps.com

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.592361734125601.155888.132615410100238&type=1&l=170a6a4d37

Here are some of the cakes at the store, I cut them as folks want them and put them either in these cute party favor ziplocks from Michael's, or in organza bags with tissue around them first.


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## smithurmonds

The calendula and powder blue cake is just stunning, Vicki.


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## NubianSoaps.com

Thanks Nicki, I was trying to match the cornflowers with the color of the iceing for a wedding shower, she loved it. This was the trial cake, because you never know how the color will dry  So I am selling this one in my shop, although I just got a bite on it for Easter. Vicki


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