Love visiting Sponge Factory in Tarpon Springs. This is a shop with all things related to the area. Sponges, soaps, Greek Facial cleansers, Greek items such as snacks, seasonings, souvenirs from Greece. In the back are pictures of the history of Tarpon Springs with harvesting the sponges in the water. There's also a free film you can watch that shows it too. I love coming back here to buy Greek seasonings to cook with. there's a few more supermarket type Greek shops but this has everything and not food items. I like their seasonings bc they are a blend and not just the single seasonings which I can find everywhere - oregano, cumin, parsley to name a few. This is located at the very end of the strip of the Sponge Docks. read more

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So we stopped into this lovely place because my daughter wanted to find some jewelry to take home from our recent trip. The gentleman at the front goes by the name of Mike and he was absolutely a true Greek gentleman. We spoke for almost an hour about all things Kalymnos and Tarpon Springs and he was so kind to my daughter during our visit. Loved the sponge theater in the back and all the old photographs on the walls documenting the city's sponge diving history and connection to the old country. My daughter purchased some great looking jewelry with the "mati" that she loves. Highly recommend stopping in! read more

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We were here visiting the in laws and they brought us to this shop, super neat! We started with the video toward the back of the store (definitely go there first) and then looked around at everything. First, I learned quite a bit from the video as I hadn't really thought about sea sponges. Seeing the different varieties within the store was really neat. It was a pretty busy day, so the store was a bit full. We poked around for a while and decided we would buy stuff on the way back so we didn't have to carry it around. Once we came back, we ended up getting 3 yellow sponges as souvenirs and 1 larger wool sponge to put on display back home. The price was very reasonable, especially considering the prices at the other shops along the road. We bought a few other trinkets and were given a little pamphlet for how to care for our sponges, which I appreciated since I was a little worried about that. You definitely have choice here when it comes to type and size, and it made the hunt for the perfect display piece that much more fun. I definitely recommend stopping in! read more

Visit the video before shopping. You will have much more confidence to buy yourself sponges Very touristy but nice selection of sponges and soap Clean sponges Off the beaten path but video is worth it read more

I ordered multiple bars of this soap and i received an empty box. When i contacted customer support they said it was my responsibility to deal with the post office to get a refund. They refused to re-ship my order. Would never buy anything from this place again. read more

Aaaaaamazing! A must on your agenda. I went on a Sunday morning right when they opened at 10 and it filled up fast with customers. Many many sponge options with knowledgeable staff. Bath bombs, souvenirs, travel items, decor; so many thing to look at. I ended up buying 2 coffee mugs, bath sponges with bars of soap (3 for $16 deal), and 2 large silk sponges. I love this place. Parking lot right next door is pay-by-the-plate. $10 will get you parking all day. PRINT YOUR RECEIPT! I went in the morning, paid for all day, left to run errands, then came back to Tarpon later on with my boyfriend and went elsewhere. I always advise keeping your receipt on your windshield. read more

enter the store and go to the back. Watch the movie they have playing that will teach you about the types of sponges. Then, you can go buy sponges and know what one is best for what you want to use it for. read more

The selection is great. The woman with the long gray hair not so much. She should not inflict her political views onto her customers. As well, she shouldn't talk about health issues is she doesn't know what she's talking about. I won't go back. read more

The Sponge Factory has inklings of a tourist trap when you walk by but the love and vibes of a low key local, family owned shop when you walk in and get to know the staff. These folks know their sponges - sorting out different sponges into assorted bins. They boast a movie telling you the history of the sponge docks and the movie is older, probably not updated in a few years, but it gave me nostalgic vibes of elementary school documentaries. The content of the movie itself is wonderful: the story of how the sponge docks came to be, a quick review of the history of sponges and sponge diving, and a description of the worlds sponges, anatomy, and sustainable harvesting. If you watch the whole movie they just might give you a discount (and be surprised you say through the whole thing, many folks do not). We came in and saw some items we wanted to take home with us after our trip to Clearwater for the weekend (mostly sponges, but also a mug and some knickknacks, all well priced). I loved learning about the different species and the workers there were all so friendly, especially after they found out we watched the movie and were interested in the different species of sponges available. If you want to know more about sponges or the sponge docks, don't pass up this little treasure of a shop. read more

This place is touristy -- VERY touristy -- but it's also a good first stop if you've never been to Tarpon Springs. Once you get past all of the t-shirts, shell toys, and tacky touristy stuff, you'll find an area that will teach you about the history of Greek sponge diving in Tarpon Springs. There's an interesting video where you'll watch the divers working underwater, and then see the process for trimming and cleaning the sponges after they're brought back to the docks. You'll find bins of different types and sizes of sponges, and the staff will help you find the right one to use as a cosmetic sponge versus a sponge to use when washing the car. I honestly had no idea that there were so many different types of sponges, and so this was especially interesting. They sell some Greek products (pressed olive oil, Greek soaps, bath items), but I prefer to shop for those products elsewhere on Dodecanese Boulevard. If you spend enough money in their store you'll get a discount on your parking, but honestly at $5 a day for general parking, I fail to see the need to get all excited about a parking discount. Go for the movie, but do your shopping elsewhere in the area. read more

Sponge Factory - If you only have time to visit one shop in Tarpon Springs, this one is THE most touristy, but you'll also learn about the history of sponge - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Tarpon Springs, Florida

This is the first shop you see when you come into Tarpon Springs on your left on Dodecanese Boulevard. I've been shopping here for over 16 years because this shop in Tarpon Springs is the only shop that carries goats milk soap. The soap is delightful on your skin comes in numerous fragrances and is always pretty sculptured flowers on top as a relief design. The back of the shop shows an old movie that you can sit and watch all about the history of the sponge docks in Tarpon Springs and how the Greek People came here and populated this particular town because of their sponge diving experience. The shop is filled with so many nice items from sponges to Luthers to soaps and creams and other tchotchkes you may need in your house. The proprietor has been the same for the last 16 years and after buying hundreds of dollars worth of soap he actually gave me a pumice stone as a gift I was pleased and I thanked him. Lovely shop for Tarpon Springs souvenir read more

Sponge Factory - Handmade goat milk soaps - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Tarpon Springs, Florida

This place was so great!! We got all kinds of goodies to bring home especially lots of soaps! The guy at the cash register even made sure to give me a card with the website on it so that we could order more soaps since we live in Virginia. Now the only problem is the one soap that we need more of already we can't remember the name of the scent for it so I guess we're gonna have to wait until we go back down there to get more. read more

It's become a tradition for us to buy a sponge or two here for my fiancee whenever we're in the area. It's fun to buy the sponges right out here on the sponge docks after learning the history of the area. My fiance likes their selection and they advise you how to make your sponge last longer. They sell lots of other soaps and bath items. The owner is always friendly and helpful. read more

Went to this place with friend , they already closed but they came back just for us to get in. The cash register lady is really kind and answer all questions about the sponges , type , difference kind of sponges and how to maintain and use. read more

This store has everything, including a free movie in the back. They also give you a discount on parking if you spend a certain amount of money in the store. It's a great place for gifts, for home decor (if you're into sponges and other tacky beach things...which a lot of people in Florida are), and it even has some merchandise from Greece. read more

Cool store that sells sponges which is a testimony to the great venture of sponge diving in Tarpon Springs. If you're in the area, come check Tarpon Springs out and be sure to check the SF. read more

A good selection of sponges. The prices seem to be a little high, but that can probably be attributed to the location.

If in Tarpon Springs this is one shop on the Sponge Docks you will want to explore. The staff is very friendly and full of knowledge. I just asked a simple question and left excited with what I learned about the industry. I was also surprised to find Black Coral here. Black Coral is hard to find and listed on the International Trade in Endangered Species. read more

It is a nice little place. But it is probably the most expensive ship around that area but they are friendly

Upon walking in, I loved the Sponge Factory. The pictures, text and movie are very informative. The products, I believe, are authentic. BUT, I looked at the bill when I returned to my hotel 30 minutes South and found a disturbing inaccuracy. The loofah slippers I bought had a $2.00 sticker on them. I was charged $4.00. I told the cashier I was a "sponge expert," so according to the movie I was entitled to a 10% discount on everything I purchased. My bill did not reflect the discount. AND to make matters worse, one slipper in the pair is totally flat from arch to toe. I learned a lot but feel unhappy that the cashier took advantage of an out-of-town, distracted (talking with my friend) tourist. read more

Very friendly & knowledgeable family. Amazing sponges and soaps! This was our favorite shop in Tarpon Springs.