Nod Hill Soap: A Scented Sliver of a Shop in Wilton Center

It's all too easy to miss Nod Hill Soap at 81 Old Ridgefield Rd. But it's worth seeking out.

Though the diminutive storefront blends into the side of the white clapboard building it is housed inside, you'll spot it opposite the side exit of CVS. 

Hiding in plain sight, the handmade soap, bath and body specialty store is owned by Catherine Romer. She also makes all the soap.

Romer's is an interesting story that many empty-nest moms might identify with. Recalling that as her children grew older, her idea of being a mom evolved. 

"I was driving my husband nuts," Romer said, adding that when her husband Ed looks for something to occupy himself, he goes and makes something.

"Finally, he said, 'Why don't you go make something too. Like soap.' It was as simple as that," Romer said, mentioning that her husband crafts all the wooden soap molds in her store. 

The shop is petite and is divided into a soap-making work room and a store display area, which is as enticing as a candy shop, but without the calories.

Beyond its utility, the upside of a beautiful handmade bar of scented soap, bath salts, a small jar of lotion or drawer sachet, is that they don't last forever. 

For the person who "has it all," soap makes the perfect gift.

"Our products are ideal teacher gifts," said Romer. With price points well under $10.00, the soaps, sachets and lip butter sticks are all about the thought that counts. 

Some customers like to select a gift assortment. In those cases, Romer wraps each item individually and presents them all inside an attractive sea blue gift bag. 

Romer and her husband, who lived year-round on Nantucket for seven years earlier in their marriage, might never have predicted Nod Hill Soap.

The duo, who ran a gourmet market and deli, plus a catering operation on the island, also did a stint in California before gravitating to Connecticut. Knowing their history, however, the influence of those years on the island quickly becomes evident. The scents and colors of Nantucket are woven through the shop.

Nod Hill Soap is located at 81 Old Ridgefield Rd in Wilton Center. (203) 210-5347 Email nodhillsoap@gmail.com