Soapbox Office Testimonial
Daniel Doll & David Simnick
Company: Soapbox, is a social-mission soap company and economic engine that provides the resources to improve global hygiene.
Role: Co-founders
Office address: 1027 33rd St NW #250
Employees: 15+
In Georgetown since: 2017
Why Georgetown?
What factors played the biggest role in your decision to open an office in Georgetown?
[David] We wanted a unique office space that was close to a lot of cultural elements that would matter to our employees. Close access to coffee, great restaurants, bars, banks. Something where we felt proud coming to work every day, and we knew our team members would also love to utilize these resources. Georgetown offers businesses a creative environment that is full of culture and authenticity, that employees are excited to work, play and live in.
How do you get to work most days?
I switch it up. I live in Arlington, so sometimes I walk, sometimes I bike. Most often I drive and park in a nearby garage.
What are some of the most unexpected benefits of working in Georgetown?
Georgetown is this amazing place in DC that is loaded with history, great culture, food and drink. I love being able to have outdoor team meetings right next door by Blue Bottle. I love that when I need to take a long call, I can just walk up and down the C&O Canal. There are a lot of office markets that are more spacious, the parking may be easier, and they may offer more traditional class A office space, but the cons just so outweigh those pros. I don’t want to have to walk up and down a highway, I don’t want to feel like I’m under fluorescent lights. Georgetown’s pros are exceptional. There are parts that still feel like a small town, and there’s an authenticity to the place.
Is there anything about your particular office building that you love?
There’s a charmed history in the building we work in. It’s two centuries old and used to be a place of commerce – a storage house for the shipping happening along the canal. You feel and understand that centuries ago, this was the commercial arm of the city we live in and that’s super cool. There’s something explicitly beautiful about both our building and Georgetown, and there’s also the beauty of the history behind it.
RB properties has been a fantastic partner in allowing us the TI and the latitude to build out the space for our needs. And I’m always a sucker for nice brick. We have a beautiful spot.
Does a Georgetown address carry any weight as an entrepreneur?
People know a Georgetown address is a prime real estate option, and they know there’s a level of class and taste when you are able to say you’re located in Georgetown.
Out-of-Office Favorites
Coffee Shop: Blue Bottle. It’s super cool because I feel like it’s Cheers. Every time I go in there, they know me, I know them. We hook them up with free stuff all the time. The thing with Georgetown is there are parts that still feel like a small town.
Lunch Spot: I’m a big fan of Sweetgreen. So much so that I became a platinum member by mistake. And now Stephen Starr’s new Italian concept will be less than 15 feet away from the office. Not to mention District Doughnut and all the cupcakes. It’s a one-way ticket to gaining weight working here.
Happy Hour: I’m a big fan of the Sovereign, but also a huge fan of The Berliner [pictured]. It’s a hidden-away beer garden that reminds me of home. I’m from Chicago and that’s one of the few places in DC where you have the overhang of a highway. It feels like you’re under the L having a beer. It’s wonderful, and beautiful, and the beer brats are so well done.
Walking Spot to Clear Your Head: The canal. What a wonderful place. What an amazing opportunity to be like, “Hey, I need to have a think, let me walk 20 feet and have miles of pathway to work out a problem.”
