All-Natural Skincare Superstore Opens its First Location in Beacon

Beacon’s East Main Street welcomes a new addition. All-natural bath and body purveyor SallyeAnder will celebrate the opening of its flagship location on Saturday, June 17. And though this is its first brick-and-mortar shop, SallyeAnder is by no means a budding business.

The brand has been a New York State skincare staple for over 30 years, manufacturing its products for largely wholesale purchase. Over 2,000 mom-and-pop shops around the country carry SallyeAnder goods, and the company has been a regular at local farmer’s markets for decades.

The business has focused on family from the very beginning. The idea started in 1982 when co-founder Gary Austin learned that his infant son was diagnosed with severe eczema. Uneasy about using steroidal creams, Austin was distraught over the lack of natural solutions on the market. So, he took it upon himself to learn about soap making. And after much experimenting, Austin had invented a hand-made olive oil soap that was fully hypoallergenic and safe to use on sensitive skin.

Over the next 30 years, he and his wife worked side-by-side to build their brand, selling products at wholesale trade shows, farmers markets, and home parties. They pushed on, hearing tales of how significantly their products have helped others, from soothing painfully dry skin to healing radiation port scars. “These are the stories we work so hard to hear,” says daughter, Sallie Austin Gonzales.

Now the president of SallyeAnder, Gonzales took leadership of the company in 2013 after her father became ill. Seeing her family business begin to fade, she dropped out of law school and jumped right in. Since, the company has grown enough to scrape into large-scale retail operations.

With their production facility also in Beacon, the city seemed to be a natural fit for their flagship location. “I love the Hudson Valley area, the community feel, and the realness that comes from the environment,” said Gonzales, a Cornwall resident. “It just felt right.” Now having made their mark in the Valley, Gonzales says that she one day hopes to bring SallyeAnder to the west coast.

Saturday’s grand opening will run from 12-6 p.m., featuring an official ribbon cutting ceremony, soap making demonstrations, wrap-your-own soap stations, and of course, lots of shopping. If you’re wondering what to buy, Gonzales suggests going for the “No Bite Me!” cream, a bug preventative and after-bite treatment made with all edible, safe ingredients. Though, the French tarragon and star anise Absinthe soap and red clay shampoo bars are equally purchase-worthy. 

SallyeAnder​
1 East Main Street, Beacon
www.sallyeander.com
315-343-0793