Retail Report: Not Soap, Radio
Not Soap, Radio’s packages decorate the store’s white walls and shelves. The brand Not Soap, Radio has been selling in boutiques across the United States for three years. Now, it has its own retail outlet. The Not Soap, Radio store opened last December on Los Angeles’ trendy Melrose Avenue.
Laura and Suzanne Cabot are sisters who cofounded the brand and who co-own the store. Originally from Chicago, the Cabots started the brand in New York before relocating to the West Coast. “We weren’t looking for a retail space—it just happened by accident,” says Laura Cabot. “We were lucky to see this empty space on Melrose, which turned out to be about the same price as a two-by-two office in New York City.” The price was right, and the team decided to become retail entrepreneurs.
The Cabots were on a limited budget. Luckily, the store space was perfect. The former tenant had left behind hardwood floors and white walls. Laura says, “We shopped for modern, simple furniture that looked like it would be invisible and that we could use to showcase the products.” At a design shop in southern California, they found acrylic, bubble-shaped fish tanks. They filled them with lip gloss and hung them on the wall, low enough for customers to reach in and help themselves. All of the shelving in the store is from Design Within Reach, which is headquartered in San Francisco.
The Cabots use the brand’s colorful packaging to enhance their store’s décor. The way the merchandise is artistically stocked on shelves and in cubes almost resembles modern art. Luckily, the brand’s packaging was already unisex and stylish enough to complement the look of the interior design. “We wanted the line to appeal to both men and women, and the idea of using bright color works with the brand’s aromatherapy message,” says Laura. For instance, clear, square, 13-oz bottles were chosen for their line’s first products, which are designed to be used as both a bubble bath and a shower gel. Laura tells the story of how the current bottle came to be. When Not Soap, Radio’s bottle supplier decided to discontinue the bottle, telling the Cabots that he literally “broke the mold,” the sisters found a new supplier through Designworks (Lake Forest, CA). Now the logo “NSR” is molded into the plastic on the bottom of their own custom bottle.
Besides its own products, the Not Soap, Radio store carries a small selection of brands from around the world. “We try to look for brands that have the same vibe and spirit as ours, and that have similar packaging,” says Laura. “You have to believe in a product in order to educate the consumer, so we looked for brands that we could get behind and really sell.” The unique mix of products includes Anatomicals, a bath line from the UK; Jessica’s Bliss, a lingerie line; and children’s towels. Every purchase is wrapped in a retro candy necklace, which is perfectly suited to the store’s whimsical personality.
Still new to retailing, the Cabots are learning the skill of visual merchandising every day by studying customers’ shopping habits. Laura draws this conclusion: “There are no rules to follow. For us, it’s more about instinct. The biggest challenge is deciding what to put on the top and bottom shelves…will customers look at the bottom? We change the displays around a lot if we think something isn’t working.”