You never know who you will meet...
At Solitude Soapworks, every partnership tells a unique story—and one of our most inspiring collaborations began with a chance encounter right here in Lake Placid.
Several years ago I had a conversation with a local store owner that revealed something amazing: someone had visited her shop and purchased every single Solitude Soapworks product on the shelf. At the time, I had no idea who this enthusiastic shopper was, but it warmed my heart immensely knowing someone loved our products enough to stockpile them.
The following summer, we were set up at the Lake Placid Farmers Market when a woman stopped by our tent, immediately recognizing the Solitude Soapworks name. We struck up a conversation, and it turned out she was the mystery shopper who adored our products! That day, she picked up a few of our lip butters, we exchanged pleasantries, and I assumed that I might see her now and again, as is the nature of seasonal vending here in the North Country.
As fate would have it, this woman was Karen Courtland Kelly—an Olympic Figure Skater, global brand ambassador for World Figure Sport, and Chef de Mission of Education and Sport for the World Figure and Fancy Skating Championships. World Figure Sport is a nonprofit dedicated to “promoting the prestigious and athletic art of Figure & Fancy Skating, both in figure and hockey skates.” Karen was delighted to finally connect directly with Solitude Soapworks, as her organization had been searching for the perfect partner to create custom body products for their events and championships held on black ice. Our products were exactly what they had been seeking.
From this serendipitous meeting, a wonderful partnership blossomed. Karen’s passion for quality and community perfectly aligns with our values at Solitude Soapworks. Our collaboration beautifully demonstrates the magic that happens when people who believe in excellence come together.
Stay tuned for more on our exciting journey with World Figure Sport—I can’t wait to see where this adventure leads!
*photo used with permission of World Figure Sport