The Keep Store, Springfield’s
first and only refillery, has moved one door down to 312 E. Adams St.
“The previous space was very
segmented,” said owner Ami Shelton. “People walk in now thinking we have double
the inventory, and I tell them, ‘No, you can just see it all now.’”
While the total square footage
is similar to the previous location, Shelton said the new space does allow room
for growth. “It has taller ceilings, so if I decide to add more inventory there
is upward mobility,” she said.
Shelton opened The Keep Store
in May 2022 as “an eco-friendly product store.” Customers can bring their own
jars or containers, or purchase one from the store, and fill them with personal
care products, cleaning supplies and other items to purchase by weight. Products
include laundry sheets, shampoo and conditioner, beeswax wraps, reusable
cutlery and other sustainable swaps for everyday items.
In addition to retail sales,
The Keep Store also hosts a variety of events, workshops and collaborations. In
the spring and summer months, gardeners come on the second Saturday to swap
seed packets while they shop. Shelton is a certified Ayurvedic nutritionist,
Pranayama teacher and mindfulness coach, and has recently begun offering
Ayurvedic classes in the store, spanning topics such as cooking, skin care and
overall wellness.
The Keep Store is also a public
TerraCycle drop-off site, which allows customers to recycle items that are not
conventionally recycled or able to be disposed of by commercial recycling
companies.
“Everyone has seen the pictures
of plastic floating in our oceans. And people really do want to do the
right thing and reduce their single-use plastic usage, but unfortunately, there
just aren't many options,” said Shelton. “We are trying to make those changes
easier.”
The Keep Store will hold a
grand reopening on Saturday, Sept. 30, with a ribbon cutting at 9 a.m. The
store is open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Wednesday; 12-6 p.m. Thursday-Friday; 9
a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday.
