Sterzing's potato chip fans might like a special soap made in honor of the popular, local snacks made fresh daily, packaged in distinctive red and yellow bags.

A potato chip-themed soap may seem a bit unusual, but Buff City Soap's new Burlington store, which sells handmade plant-based soaps made on-site daily, has created some special, delightfully Burlington-scented soaps for the local market, including "Potato Chip," in honor of Sterzing's, along with a Burlington Bee's-inspired mixture, and another representing the Mississippi River. 

The store, located at 3200 Agency St., Suite 120, next to Pet Supplies Plus, opened June 23. 

Each Buff City Soap store offers more than 30 customizable scents across dozens of handcrafted soap products.

Along with handmade bar soaps, Buff City Burlington makes other products including laundry soap, whipped body butter, bath bombs, body scrubs and more. 

The brand’s products are crafted by local artisans at the in-store Makeries, which allow guests to customize the scent and ingredients used in the process to create a unique scent profile.

By giving customers the chance to see the whole making process live in each Soap Makery, Buff City Soap is focusing on transparency of ingredients and process.

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Local employees inside the store advise customers who might want suggestions or help picking out a scent, which are divided into seven categories: fruity, floral, sweet, herbal, clean, masculine, and unscented.

Kailee O'Brien, marketing director for Meyers Management Group, LLC, of Des Moines, which owns and operates the Burlington store and eight others in Iowa, and soap makers at the Burlington shop created the Burlington scents. 

The red and yellow soap that says it "Smells like the best Potato Chip" actually is a pleasant-smelling mixture of magnolia and "Shave and a Haircut Scent."

Other soaps are similarly named. You won't find just vanilla or coconut, but rather intriguing names like the best-seller, colorfully swirled "Narcissist," whose sign says it "Smells like Peachwood and Me Time," and has notes of patchouli, sandalwood, raspberry and peach.

The special Burlington soaps also feature the green and blue "River Bottom," but has the more pleasant smell of bay leaf, cedar wood, bergamot, wisteria and green tea. 

Gold, blue and white bar soap called Bee's, according to its store sign, "smells like summers at the ball field," with a mix of oatmeal, honey, cream, jasmine, exotic florals and citrus.

"Potato Chip and Bee's have been really popular," said O'Brien, who was at the shop on Sunday. "They've all been really popular." 

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Another soap, "The cherry almond, we can hardly keep those on the shelf," she said. 

Several locals apparently responded to mailed invitations to the VIP grand opening with special promotions. 

Before Sunday, more than 850 had arrived to peruse the soap bars, bath bombs, foaming hand soap, and even plant-based laundry soap, according to O'Brien, and Sunday also appeared to be busy. 

She said customers have given her a lot of positive feedback. 

"They are just so excited and thankful that Burlington has something new," she said. 

Buff City Soap also offers men's care products, pet care products and bath accessories. 

On Sunday, Brian Miller of Des Moines, a co-owner of the shop, was busy mixing up soap for Ashley Knouse of Mediapolis. 

"I love soap, and I always buy a different scent," said Knouse, who was taking advantage of the day's buy-one, get-one half-off laundry soap deal. 

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The laundry soap is made of only four ingredients, with the scent or mix of scents you like, and requires two tablespoons per wash load. 

According to Miller, the new shop in Burlington "has been well-supported" for being in the smallest population center for an Iowa Buff City Soap, though Burlington's shop is one of the company's larger-sized ones.

"I like seeing how excited customers are about the product," Miller said. 

Owner Chris Meyers, also of Des Moines, said he soon will open a Buff City Soap in Ames, and another this fall in Davenport. 

He feels the Burlington site "Is a great shopping hub. There are lots of great people here."

Founded in 2013, Buff City Soap has created a high-quality alternative to commercial soap products full of harsh chemicals, detergents, animal fats, and sulfates.

The company is quickly growing. Burlington's shop is the 220th in the United States.

"I know that Burlington residents will fall in love with this unique concept as quickly as I did," said O'Brien. 

Those who have include the shop's manager, Emmy Gambrel of Burlington. 

"I love this store," she said. "I have very sensitive skin and (the soap is) amazing. All products are natural and plant-based. We use no harsh chemicals in our products," she said. 

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Children can have some good, clean fun. Ages 14 and younger are invited to come in and decorate a bath bomb for themselves, for free. 

Buff City Soap products even have inspired the Facebook group, "Buff City Soap Fans," with about 5,000 members talking about the company's products. 

On June 25, one poster advised another the laundry soap also can deodorize carpets by sprinkling it on, letting it sit, and vacuuming it up.

During the VIP opening weekend, Buff City Soap had deals that included 20% off an entire purchase, buy one get one half off on laundry soap, and free soap for a year to the first 50 customers each day from Thursday through Sunday.

Ongoing promotions will include deals each weekend, and Tuesdays will have a 4 for $20 special. 

In addition to the VIP Event, another Grand Opening Event will be held from Aug. 12 to 14, where Buff City Soap customers will have their second chance to win free soap for a year with purchase each day that Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The Burlington store is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

To learn more, visit buffcitysoap.com.