Ellen Andrick isn’t a typical retailer trying to sell customers on the latest must-haves. Instead, the owner of Replenish Refillery in Dover aims to guide shoppers to more sustainable and conscientious purchases. She was inspired by her grandfather, who taught her how to repair and reuse items after he came of age during the Great Depression.
Her shop, which opened in 2019, has two aspects. First, there are sustainable goods like bees wax sealants to replace plastic wrap in the kitchen. Then, there’s the refillery, which stocks bulk cleaning supplies, soaps, and personal care products. People who want to avoid single-use plastics can bring a container to the store and purchase products based on weight. Most items are toxin-free, low waste and locally sourced.
Andrick, who worked in education before opening Replenish Refillery, often finds herself teaching customers about the products and how to be more intentional with their purchasing power. “I have people across the spectrum in terms of their sustainability journeys,” she says. “From people who aren’t sure if they want to start to people who are like ‘thank goodness you’re here.’ We’re available and ready to support them where they are.”
The “soft entry points” for refilling are hand soap, dish soap and laundry detergent, Andrick says. “A lot of people come in and they’re just disgusted with having to buy a big jug of Tide [laundry detergent] and know it’s going in the recycling bin and it’s not going to be recycled.”
From there, people transition to all-purpose cleaning spray and reusable body wash. The most requested items are tooth tabs (a toothpaste alternative), deodorant paste, dry shampoos and highly concentrated vinegar that can make gallons of cleaning solution.
Since its opening, the store has grown substantially in both profit and the number of customers, Andrick says. She’s still in the store most days—although she also has two employees—but says that she’s working to expand the brand beyond her personal presence. “In an ideal world, I am trying to balance running the store versus running the business,” she says. “It’s hard to do that, but I’m super happy to be here.”