Buff City Soap Franchisee Group Plans to Open 110 Stores in Next Two Years and 250 Over Time
Original Article: The Tennessean - April 05, 2021
If you’re on the hunt for all-natural, handmade soap, Gallatin just got a seriously sudsy upgrade!
Buff City Soap has opened a brand-new Soap Makery at 624 Davis Drive, and Tim Chaffin, a Sumner County native and franchise owner, couldn’t be more excited to bring this soap-tastic experience to his hometown. “We’re thrilled to grow in the Nashville market and share our plant-based goodies with the Gallatin community,” Chaffin recently shared with reporter Katie Dixon of the Nashville Tennessean.
Buff City Soap has been making waves in states like Wisconsin, Illinois and Missouri, and with plans to open 40 more stores this year and 70 next year, Chaffin and his crew are ready to soap up the competition. With 250 locations in their sights, they’re ready to take their plant-based products to every corner of the country!
Tim Chaffin believes Buff City Soap’s success is partly due to the pandemic’s impact on people’s awareness of cleanliness. “People love Buff City because it’s a truly good product—great for your skin and all-natural. You just can’t go wrong,” Chaffin said.
Founded in 2013, Buff City Soap was born out of frustration with harsh chemicals, detergents and animal fats found in commercial soap. Handcrafted daily by local artisans using natural ingredients, the products are free from harmful synthetic chemicals and never tested on animals. Buff City Soap’s ingredient transparency is a big part of the customer experience, as guests can select fragrances and watch their soap being made right in-store!
Chaffin has been making moves since 2005, and now he’s taking Middle Tennessee by storm with Buff City Soap. He kicked things off last year with the first store in Hendersonville, followed by a new spot in Hermitage this week, and with more to come—Franklin is up next in April, and Green Hills is on deck for July. “We’re looking at Brentwood, Spring Hill, Smyrna, and all-around Greater Nashville,” said Chaffin, though Nashville proper has been a tougher nut to crack.
But Buff City Soap isn’t his only gig—Chaffin also owns Sun Tan City locations, along with pizza joints like Sanders Ferry Pizza and Pub in Hendersonville and Fairvue Pizza and Pub in Gallatin. Oh, and let’s not forget his 40 Planet Fitness franchises scattered across Kentucky and Indiana. He’s been in the game for over 30 years, starting out in a family-owned video store at 19 and never looking back. “We’ve got a great team, and we’re all about finding good brands and growing them—it’s what keeps things exciting,” Chaffin shared.
Speaking of keeping things exciting, with loads of new products on the horizon for Buff City Soap, the brand is gearing up to introduce new products like liquid laundry soap, air fresheners, body sprays and candles—items Tim Chaffin hopes to see on shelves soon. Plus, customer-favorite bath bomb-making and soap-making parties are making a comeback later this year, promising even more fun and creativity in stores.
