By Dana Kroll, Uptown Marketing and Communications Specialist
The sustainable shopping movement is alive and thriving in Uptown! Today we want to dig in and talk a little bit more about why we’re so excited about it. We’ll start by featuring the most recent retailer to bring sustainable and earth friendly shopping to our district. Later, we’ll have additional suggestions on where to purchase goods to feel good about.
But first – let us introduce you to Petrichor Market. Located at 959 Fulton St. E, this retailer has a lot going on…and all of it is impressive. Its Facebook page describes it as, “an earth conscious shop with a refillery station, vintage clothing, apothecary, books, plants, gifts and more.” Owner Jordan Rex opened the shop this past November, and she is a veritable wealth of knowledge about how to make shopping fun AND smart. The worrisome environmental impact of consumerism is something she takes very seriously, but her approach is anything but austere. In getting to know her as part of our research for this article, one of the things that was most readily apparent about what motivates her, is her passion for making sustainable shopping truly accessible and inviting for anyone and everyone who wants to get on board. A welcoming and warm atmosphere pervades the shop, and Jordan says this is intentional. She feels inclusivity is key towards fostering actual change in how we consume – she sees an opportunity to contribute towards changing how our society approaches shopping and is doing her part to prevent eco-friendly shopping from being “just” a trend.
Every item for sale in the shop has been carefully researched – from how it is made, what it is made of, and who it is made by, and that is another way that Jordan takes the work out of sustainable shopping for you, the shopper. She explained to us that there are several things she considers when sourcing products for a shop like hers. Are a product’s ingredients eco-safe? Biodegradable? Organic? Reef safe? What does a vendor’s production process look like – how much ends up in a landfill? How about packaging – how has that been sourced and what is it made of? Additionally, she considers sustainability from a “people” point of view: Who is she supporting when she purchases her goods? Do those dollars support local or independent makers? And so much more. As you can see, after all of this vetting is done – truly all that is left for you to do, is to enjoy your experience at the market, wholeheartedly!
The biggest attraction at Petrichor Market might be its refillery station. Here you’ll find a vast array of personal care products and home cleaning and care products, in bulk, and all sold by the ounce, from brands like the Michigan-made Fresh Coast Clean, Oneka (a B Corp brand), and Carina Organics. You can bring any vessel you’d like (or purchase one from the shop) and fill up on everything from laundry and dish soaps to body and hand wash, shampoos, deep conditioners, hairspray, and more. All with zero waste created! You’ll also find supplies for the kitchen, bath, décor, snacks, treats, and personal care items. There’s vintage clothing, books, and plants. This spring will bring the addition of ethical planting products, like soil and seeds, for a more robust offering to those with green thumbs.
We should also add that the shop offers a fabulously large space for visiting vendors and artists interested in hosting pop-up markets and installations, and this month, the shop will begin hosting a rotating catalog of workshops and classes to be enjoyed in the space. First up – a beeswax wrap workshop, on February 6.
Whether you’ve always “shopped conscious” … or are just beginning your journey… we encourage you to visit the Petrichor Market. Just don’t call it a trend. Sustainable, earth-friendly shopping is here to stay! To prove it – here are a whole host of additional great spots to check out in Uptown, for additional ways to stock up smart:
Proprietary Goods, 620 Wealthy St. SE: A visit to this bulk dry goods store is an absolute ‘MUST’ for anyone interested in eco-friendly grocery shopping. Shop your heart out amongst their offerings which include everything from dried beans, trail mixes, pasta, baking mixes, grains, specialty, vegan, and GF baking ingredients, and SO much more. Purchases are made in bulk and packaged in your own reusable vessels brought from home (or purchased in the shop). Reduce the stress on both our landfills and your conscience. Check it out.
Fulton Street Farmer’s Market, 1145 Fulton St. E: Established in 1922, The Fulton Street Farmer’s Market is GR’s longest running farmer’s market and arguably one of the very first to offer sustainable and eco-friendly shopping to our city. The market hosts countless local, independent farmers and makers. Bring your own reusable bags and stock up on the very best natural and homegrown goods, all while directly contributing towards sustaining vital local industries. Be sure to check out their website for days and hours of operation, which are dependent on the market’s various seasons.
Wax Poetic Candle Bar, 1423 Lake Dr. SE: A DIY candle-making bar with a focus on clean-burning, renewable, and biodegradable waxes and ingredients and sustainable, reusable vessels and packaging. Try your hand at creating your own custom candle scent in a range of gorgeous vessels. The best part? Once your candle is gone, you can bring your vessel back again and again to be filled. Or reuse them in a million ways – they’re even foodsafe!
Sable Candle Co., 620 Wealthy St. SE: If you’d prefer to leave the candle-making to someone else with a bit more experience, check out the beautiful shop that is Sable, whose candles are made from premium locally sourced and renewable, eco-friendly ingredients. Vessels (theirs or your own) may be brought for refills again and again.
Brewery Vivant, 925 Cherry St. SE: Did you know that the country’s very first LEED-certified production brewery is located right here in Uptown’s East Hills district? Additionally a certified B Corp organization, Brewery Vivant is located in a nearly 100 year old, renovated historical church, and considers sustainability to be a core principle of its operation (and backs that up in a myriad of ways). They focus both their menu and tap offerings and their operational methods on supporting local, sustainable resources and vendors and environmental impact reduction. Feel good about a brew and a burger at BV, and oh – be a hero and bring that reusable growler back for a refill whenever you want to. They said it best – ‘Beer the change you want to see in the world.’
