Magnolia Soap and Bath will open this weekend on the 600 block of downtown St. pete | Magnolia soap and bath

A new shop specializing in handmade bath, body, and home products is preparing to open along Central Avenue.

Magnolia Soap and Bath Company will debut this Friday May 1st at 655 Central Avenue.

The 1,400-square-foot storefront takes over the former Three Dog Bakery space, which closed last month.

Inside, Magnolia offers a wide range of products made in house without preservatives.

The lineup includes soaps, sugar scrubs, body butters, bath bombs, shower oils, perfumes, and soy candles, along with one of its most popular items, a customizable laundry wash made from just a few ingredients.

Jennifer Shankle, a Palm Harbor resident originally from Maryland, is behind the new location.

Magnolia soap and bath offers soaps, sugar scrubs, body butters, bath bombs, and more | Magnolia soap and bath

After opening a Magnolia Soap and Bath Co. in Clearwater last year, she decided to relocate the concept to downtown St. Pete.

“Customers at our Clearwater location actually told us that the store would be a great fit for St. Pete,” Shankle said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “I think we’ll benefit from that Central Avenue, window shopping kind of vibe.”

The move makes the St. Pete shop the company’s only location in Pinellas County.

Magnolia operates about 50 stores across the Southeast, with additional Florida locations in Valrico and Ocala.

Shankle first discovered the brand in Alabama, where her daughter was attending college at the time, and quickly became a fan of its products and fun atmosphere

That visit led her to explore franchising opportunities and eventually open her own store.

“I’ve always been a lover and collector of soaps, and when I first started getting into Magnolia’s products, I just thought it was super fun and loved how brightly-colored everything was,” Shankle said. “I was really attracted to the scents and designs, and the fact that the ingredients are clean was a great bonus, too.”

In addition to retail, the space is set up to host birthday parties and group events, where guests can create their own soaps and bath bombs | Magnolia soap and bath

Customers can personalize many of the products with Magnolia’s signature scents.

Among the most popular are Bliss, which is a mix of fruit, caramel, and vanilla notes, and Legacy, which blends fruit, florals, and amber.

“The store has a wall that will promote the ten most popular scents, so that’s a great place for customers to start,” said Magnolia employee and Marketing Manager Lauren Wilkins. “There’s really a wide range of scents, from citrusy and floral to beachy. A little bit of everything.”

The shop will also incorporate a refill program, offering discounts to customers who bring back containers to reuse.

In addition to retail, the space is set up to host birthday parties and group events, where guests can create their own soaps and bath bombs.

Once open, Magnolia will operate from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

For updates on the soft opening and upcoming promotions, follow the St. Pete location on Facebook.