2 businesses join as one-stop shop for sustainability, ethical choices in downtown Dayton

Jul. 27—Two local businesses are teaming up to be a one-stop shop in downtown Dayton for all things sustainable and ethical.

Reduce & Reuse Refillery will join Grace Lane Boutique at their space on East Fourth Street below the St. Clair Lofts.

To celebrate the new adventure, the owners are throwing a grand reopening party on Saturday, July 30 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The reopening will feature other local businesses including Wild Banana, Desert Roots, Rainbow Tree Designs, Rugrat and several others. Guests who make a purchase during the party will be entered into a drawing for a grand prize featuring products from all the participating vendors.

"We have so many talented people in our community," said Danielle Goodman, owner of Grace Lane Boutique. "We just want to include and support other small businesses."

Grace Lane Boutique features women's clothing, accessories and other products from ethical, fair trade and sustainable brands.

"After the Rana Plaza collapse in 2013, I went on my own ethical journey searching for brands and clothing that was made ethically," Goodman said. "I really wanted to find brands that were socially conscious of the people and planet."

Goodman launched her boutique in her dining room in 2018 and opened her first brick-and-mortar in March 2019. She has since expanded to a second brick-and-mortar at The Greene Towne Center in Beavercreek.

She explained she thought Reduce & Reuse Refillery would be a great addition to the boutique because both businesses have similar missions.

Reduce & Reuse Refillery invites customers to bring in their own bottles or jars to fill up on home and body care products. There is no packaging or single-use plastics, owner Megan Hudson explained.

Hudson also said she offers other low-waste products including shampoo, body wash, bath salts, dish soap, laundry detergent and much more. With the expansion to East Fourth Street, Hudson said she plans to offer food items as well.

Reduce & Reuse Refillery began in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hudson explained she started focusing on buying low-waste groceries when she realized there wasn't really an option for low-waste home and body care products in the Dayton area.

After being let go from her corporate job as a graphic designer due to the pandemic, Hudson launched her business via a website and pop-up events. She told Dayton.com she now has a mobile truck where she brings her products to 2nd Street Market. Her products are also available at 434 East Third Street in the same space as Carrs & Co Photography House.

Hudson said by starting her own business she is using her skills for something she is passionate about.

"(It's) something that I can be proud of and (I) feel like I'm contributing to the world in a big way," she said.

Both business owners said their favorite part of selling their products is meeting their customers, sharing their stories and bringing awareness to sustainability and ethical choices.

"Grace is the exercise of love, kindness, mercy and favors disposition to benefit or serve another," said Goodman, quoting an online definition. "I want this store to represent (grace). We are serving the people behind our products."

"If people made these small changes, it would tell an industry we need change," Goodman added.

Due to partnering with Reduce & Reuse Refillery, Grace Lane Boutique, located at 133 E. Fourth Street, will now be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

For more information about Grace Lane Boutique, visit www.gracelaneboutique.com or the boutique's Facebook or Instagram pages.

For more information about Reduce & Reuse Refillery, visit www.reducereuserefillery.com or the refillery's Facebook or Instagram pages.

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