The Soap Opera celebrates 50 years in the Madison community

When Chuck Bauer and Chuck Beckwith opened The Soap Opera on Lake Street in 1972, they started a store that would become a staple in the downtown area.

Despite three locations, a change in ownership and a pandemic, the business has remained consistent and is celebrating its 50th anniversary this week on March 3.

Current owner Stacy Scannell has owned The Soap Opera since 2016 after being a customer of the business herself and having 15 years of prior sales experience.

“It’s such a huge staple in the community that I could come and have this business background and really just keep it running for 50 more years,” Scannell says.

In the beginning, Bauer and Beckwith spent one year on Lake Street and during this time, they were rollerblading on State Street with a dresser full of beauty products as they weren’t able to vend on the thoroughfare. The Soap Opera moved to State Street where Parthenon Gyros is currently, and then moved one final time in 1984 to where The Soap Opera exists today.

Scannell says the original owners were inspired by apothecary-style stores in Europe where they would have high-end hairbrushes, perfumes and essential oils. Some of those same products are still available today, but things have also changed over time.

One thing Scannell has prioritized is sustainability. After years of looking for options, in time for the anniversary, she swapped the in-house products to using eco-friendly packaging. Most Soap Opera-branded products now have biodegradable wheat-straw jars or bottles, glass jars with bamboo lids and bamboo tops for perfume roller bottles. They also have a refill service so people can bring their bottles back and get them filled for a discount.

She’s also started offering a custom scrub bar, herb bar and scenting parties to allow the customers to make their own products.

For Scannell, some of the most special moments are the ones with customers. She says she has a million stories of people coming in on a bad day, but choosing The Soap Opera to pick up their mood.

She mentioned a story of a customer who buys a perfume consistently from The Soap Opera as her husband has dementia and when she wears the smell, it’s one of the times where he can remember her name.

“It really warms my heart that we’re still here and we’re still doing that kind of work for people,” Scannell says.

The Soap Opera is hosting a celebration party Thursday from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. with free gifts, cupcakes, discounts on sugar scrubs and more.