OUR STORY

The Sweet Story of Bathtub Bakery

How this crazy thing all started:

2015: The year it kinda sorted began. When I was 20 years old, I started experimenting with bath bombs, candles, and any other fun customizable product I could think of. I really was just craving a creative outlet, and maybe to start a business if it all worked out. Growing up I had a problem where if I wasn't "naturally" good at something quickly, I would lose impulse in continuing; so I've been down the rabbit hole of all sorts of crafts. I can get bored rather quickly, but for whatever reason, while creating skin care based products I could always see the potential. I started to learn about oils, fragrances, different salts, and colours, I truly realized how customizable the industry could be and I was really hooked. In June of 2016 I decided to start Bathtub Bakery as an operating business. 

 2016-2018: Bathtub Bakery began to blossom at the end of 2016 and into 2017. I started hustling at vendor events on weekends, and selling in local stores while working my full-time job. I knew I was on the right track because making my customers' orders felt like a break to me. It was and still is a great creative outlet. I can't thank the people enough who purchased from me when I was still selling through home. It changed my life and gave me confidence to make my next big decision. On July 1st, 2018, just two years after registering my business, I made the decision to open up my own small storefront (just to see what would happen). It was a decision that has shaped my life to where I am now. During the two years I ran the store, I met so many fantastic people, and made tons of connections. It really was a hustle season for me because I had the store open full-time, and when it closed I still went to my job in the evening that was luckily around the corner. Looking back, I'm not sure how I stayed sane for those two years, but if I could go back in time I would give Bri a big hug for putting that work in. 

 2020: What a year, #AmIRight. On March 1st, 2020 I was excited, optimistic, and ready! I launched Bathtub Bakery's first e-commerce website to open up shipping across the Country. By March 17th I was forced to close the store due to Covid. It just goes to show how quickly things can happen in the world. I was nervous, just like everyone else, with no set path to follow, I really had to contemplate what my next steps were. The support I received through the website was so unbelievable and I was so grateful with the timing of the launch so the switch was pretty seamless. I knew by April that I needed to take this as an opportunity to grow. I started doing free deliveries within the city, signed a new lease at a bigger, better location, started to build a brand new website with a better company, found new suppliers, and created tons of new products. I had the opportunity to finally have time to focus on big moves, and I'm excited to say that I made Bathtub Bakery my full-time income, quit my job and haven't looked back since. 

2020-June 2024: These have been some of the most fond years for me. Since taking the business on full-time, my creativity has fully blossomed and I felt like I took full control of my life. I had the new storefront in Brantford where I would have so many partnerships and huge collaborations. I signed a lease for 4 years, and each day felt surreal walking in with all of my new upgrades and space. It's funny how life just tends to work out because it turns out that the four year lease I signed would end up being the perfect amount of time. See, when I launched this business I swore to myself that I would base it around my lifestyle at the time. I was never interested stressing myself out, I just want a flexible lifestyle doing what I loved. In July of 2023, I got engaged and we planned a wedding for the end of June. The date stood out to us, and after we chose the date, it came to me that my lease was up July 1st, 2024.. just two days later. I really looked at this as a sign as a fresh start for myself, and my family. Starting this business when I was 20, and now turning 30, you can imagine how much my life has changed over the years. I knew I was at a turning point and the store would need to be sacrificed if I was going to start another dream of mine; so start a family. It was a tough decision but I decided to not resign my lease in the property with all the businesses I grew to love. The thought of my next phase of life while running a store was not in the cards.. for now at least, so I made the call to operate as an online-only business going forward for the time being! 

July 2024-Present: I took the whole Summer off to experience wedded bliss, and to reanalyze the entire collection of Bathtub Bakery. I started from the ground up to re-create, re-design and add new products. I free'd up all of my time to have the most flexible schedule I've ever had, and I'm ready to take on the next stage of my life; having Bathtub Bakery follow along. It's been such a journey, and the online store will be launched October 2024 in the next phase. I'll be looking into vendor events again, maybe selling in local shops; it really has come full circle which is funny to me, but I am exactly where Bathtub Bakery needs to be right now, and I'm excited for 2025!