Media

Thanks to Vanessa  from WUIS / NPR Community Voices for highlighting what we are trying to do at The Keep Store!

https://www.nprillinois.org/community-voices/2022-06-29/the-keep-store-provides-an-option-to-reduce-plastic-consumption-community-voices

Thanks to Karen Witter and the Illinois Times for the support they have shown us!

https://www.illinoistimes.com/springfield/downtown-store-is-springfields-first-refillery/Content?oid=15319895

You may have heard them talking about us on the radio, too!  BIG thanks to them for letting you all know we were opening!

https://springfieldbusinessjournal.com/2022/05/the-keep-store-a-refillery-concept-opening-in-downtown-springfield/

  Contact: info@thekeepstore.co 

For Immediate Release: 

Date:  4/12/2022 

Springfield’s first Refillery to open downtown  

“I have been an avid environmentalist since my biology classes in high school,” said Ami Shelton.  “However, once you become a grandparent, everything changes.  Climate change was concerning enough to think about during my own lifetime, never mind my children’s.  It’s even more frightening to think what may occur during my grandchild’s lifetime.  I knew I wanted to make changes, including reducing my footprint and the amount of waste and consumption within our own household.  I started reading more and learned about zero waste stores and “refilleries” popping up all over the world.  Unfortunately, we just did not have that many options around Springfield.” 

To solve that, Shelton plans to open The Keep Store, an eco-friendly shop and refillery, at 314 E. Adams Street joining a growing number of small businesses in downtown Springfield.  

 “We are utilizing the ‘Bring Your Own Container’ concept for the refillery items, but containers can be purchased or dropped off for donation on-site as well,” said Shelton.  “There will also be a fair number of prepackaged items for sale as well with a focus on reduced plastic packaging.” 

Located next to the Old Capitol Farmers Market, she hopes the convenience of household goods and dry goods paired with fresh produce options from the farmers market helps convince more area families to buy local and support small farmers and businesses. 

“As a small business member of 1% for the Planet with hopes to become a pending B Corporation shortly, we have and will continue to be very selective in the brands we carry, supporting those brands that align with our mission to support eco-friending products, packaging and shipment that also give back to their local communities.  With that said, we are partnering with several local businesses to carry their items and are always on the look-out for more.” Shelton plans to open in May of 2022 but says the dried goods (food items) may not be included in the initial opening plan. 

 “We are working through our planned renovations to meet the local guidelines, but we don’t want to rush anything.   The associates at our local health department have been wonderful to work with; but following the Covid pandemic, we don’t want to risk opening our self-service bulk food options until we feel certain we are doing so in the safest way possible.”

 May 2022 Update:  Dried good food items will not be included in the initial opening of The Keep Store downtown, planned for May 21st at 10:00am.   A Grand Reopening  - including dried good food items -  will be planned later in the year and announced at a later date.