The Plucky Duck: What makes the squeaky clean soap-crafting shop worthy of waddling over to

What’s better than participating in squeaky clean, creative fun with an eye toward environmentalism?

For Cristina Aranda, owner of the Plucky Duck and Spokane’s self-proclaimed curator of fun, there is nothing better.

Whether someone is looking to create soap with molds and bright colors, refill household necessities like laundry detergent and shampoo in an eco-friendly fashion, craft handmade journals or simply looking for a spot to find thrifted treasures, the Plucky Duck at the corner of College Avenue and Cedar Street is the place to dawdle toward.

But Aranda’s journey to where she is now required a fair amount of pivoting. Before coming to the Lilac City, Aranda was a librarian for six years in Utah, where she operated a book mobile and delivered knowledge to rural communities, among other things.

She came to Spokane in August 2024 to pursue a career in nonprofits after her husband got a job working in local government with the Northeast Public Development Authority. This corporation, created by the city of Spokane and the county, provides focused economic development services to businesses in the Hillyard area, according to their website.

Aranda believed that she was going to help minority communities in Spokane by either joining or creating her own nonprofit. Unfortunately for her, being a philanthropic force for good by starting her own nonprofit ended up being harder than initially anticipated. Still, she has hope for starting the Plucky Duck Foundation one day in the future.

“So then I said, ‘OK, what can I do that’s community focused?’ ” Aranda said. “And I feel that (now) I’m using my skillset to benefit and enhance Spokane, make Spokane a magical place to live. Not just come and take resources, but come and provide resources.”

She said the most enjoyable aspect of librarianship was teaching programs and instructing arts and craft activities to kids. Opening a shop that was art-focused with an emphasis on environmentalism and bringing community together naturally became the next best option. Upon arriving in Spokane, she saw that the city could use more places for people to participate in activities and indulge in unique experiences. After she experimented with chocolate-making workshops, Aranda shifted to a cheaper, cleaner option – soap.

Customers who visit the Plucky Duck can make their own soap by first selecting the mold they want from 50 different options. They can then choose between blueberry, vanilla, rosemary and much more to find the ideal scent. Next, a shopper gets to pick the perfect tint for their soap out of 100 mica-based colors.

Finally, customers pour all the ingredients they want, including any add-ins, into the mold. After 10 to 15 minutes, the soap is dried and ready for scrubbing. The bar can also be painted after it is dried to suit a customer’s fancy.

Aranda’s biggest rule for successfully making soap is displayed on a sign near the front – “Don’t eat the soap!”

While that may sound like a no-brainer, it is difficult not to satiate hunger when staring at miniscule blue sharks that look scarily like gummy candy. A dragon-eye bar of soap with orange pupils and a keen attention to lashes is Aranda’s biggest seller.

For $24, anyone on a date, with kids or flying solo can spend up to 90 minutes making soap with four ounces of material. For an additional $10, soap aficionados can get another 4 ounces to work with.

“As people are coming to the Plucky Duck, I’m putting in those little seeds of ‘You can be more mindful in the way that you consume,’ ” Aranda said. “So there’s a lot of people who come in and they’re like, ‘What is a refillery?’ ”

Upon venturing into the Plucky Duck, a shelving rack sits to the left of the entrance. On the rack is container after container of any household cleaner one could possibly need. By bringing a jar, customers can fill up on shampoo, conditioner, lotion, multipurpose cleaner, dish detergent and more. It is all priced by the ounce. The goal, Aranda said, is to provide people with ways of eliminating single-use household cleaners.

Soap-making brings people from out of the community into the door, but the refillery brings people in from around the Kendall Yards neighborhood, Aranda said. While those two things are arguably the main attraction at the Plucky Duck, there is no shortage of other cool knick-knacks and thingamabobs to buy.

Never-ending bamboo pencils, Christmas and birthday cards, handmade washcloths, essential oils, scrapbook journals, a stuffed animal adoption center where all the proceeds go to local charities, and myriad other craft-like items are available for use and purchase. Originally, Aranda said she wanted to name her business the Lucky Duck, but that name was already taken. So she slapped a “P” on the front for a more whimsical air.

For the spooky season, Aranda has a 38-ounce multicolored “human brain” on display in the center of her shop. For Valentine’s Day, she is going to display a large red soap heart.

It is hard to keep track of all the niche items and oddities that line the shelves at the Plucky Duck. Most of these items are created with reusable and sustainable materials. She even has converted old crayons into her trademark (well, not quite trademarked) rubber ducks that kids can use to color pages. Aranda is also currently looking for zine makers and other local creators who want to sell their work out of the store.

Aranda is attempting to reinvigorate the community by setting up a third place for people to participate in fun activities in an environmentally friendly way. She first began to care about the environment by watching YouTube videos about how plastic is killing the planet. She said her love and care for the ocean specifically stems from a somewhat overlooked, and as she claims, selfish reason – her love for seafood.

“Can we keep our food sources healthy so that we can eat?” Aranda said. “I would love to eat shrimp 20 years from now. If we’re killing our oceans, where are we gonna get the snapper? Where are we gonna get the salmon? We got to protect the planet… (the Plucky Duck) is educating people and giving people the opportunity to empower themselves, to be different, to be more mindful. If you don’t give people the opportunity to see that this is an option and a way to be a consumer, they won’t know.”