Soap refill station to open downtown

Last edited 3:43 p.m., Aug. 6, 2018

A former Springfield resident returned to the Queen City to launch a downtown soap refill station.

Through Getmosoap LLC, Anne Dezort and her boyfriend Adam McKay are planning a soft launch in mid-July for their company under the name of Soap. She said a grand opening would be in August.

“Our whole mission is to reduce plastic waste in landfills and water space,” Dezort said.

At the 210 S. Campbell Ave. shop — formerly a Paul Mitchell cosmetology school — Dezort said customers can bring in their own plastic or glass containers and refill them with soap. She said bottles can range from soap or shampoo bottles to ketchup containers, as long as they’re cleaned thoroughly.

Storefront signage indicates customers can refill bottles with shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, essential oils, face creams, and laundry, dish, dog, baby, toilet and floor soaps. Dezort said the shop would start with 50 essential oils and expand to 100.

Soap also will accept clean plastic and glass bottle donations.

Dezort returned to Springfield in March from Nevada City, California, where she managed colleague Lori Largent’s Save Our Ailing Planet, aka SOAP.

“She kept 50,000 bottles out of the trash in a population of about 3,000 people,” Dezort said. “I just couldn’t deny this option for my family. I grew up around here, and I just felt like I needed to bring this home.”

Dezort said she’s from Harrison, Arkansas, and attended college at Missouri State University in Springfield. She previously was known as one of the organizers of LemonDrop, a now defunct organization that promoted local artists on Commercial Street.

At Soap, Dezort signed a lease for undisclosed terms with McKay’s father, who owns the building. She said the shop comprises nearly 1,400 square feet.