When people walk into SHIFT Sustainable Goods + Services, after the aroma of eucalyptus welcomes them in, they might find themselves looking at the chalkboard and wall of glass jars, feeling like they’ve stepped into a general store from a previous century.
But at SHIFT, rather than creating nostalgia, reducing waste and protecting the earth for future generations is the number one goal.
“People will come in sometimes and they’ll say, ‘Do you have a trash can?’ And we’ll say, ‘No, we don’t,’” says SHIFT co-founder Eleisha Eagle. “‘We don’t have a trash can here.’”
“We actually don’t make trash here,” adds co-founder Kimberley Bezak.
Tucked on Haverford Avenue in Narberth, SHIFT is a refillery, where customers can bring their own containers (or purchase one at the store) and buy any of more than fifty liquid household products by weight, such as laundry detergent, deodorant and hand soap.
When it comes to the containers customers bring to fill, Eagle and Bezak have seen it all: glass jars, an old whiskey growler — one customer even ran over from a nearby laundromat with a drinking glass, filling it with just enough detergent for their load of laundry.
These small, individual choices to avoid buying products packaged in single-use plastics are at the core of SHIFT’s values. “Every shift counts,” Bezak says.
Eagle calls the store a “judgment-free zone” for folks who might be new to living low-waste lifestyles. She and Bezak love teaching customers about easy swaps they can make.
Eagle and Bezak, both originally from Louisiana, founded SHIFT in 2021. They met at a lecture Bezak gave about zero-waste living at the Narberth Library. At the time, it was hard to consistently find packaging-free products in brick-and-mortar stores, so the two created SHIFT as a one-stop shop for low-waste and waste-free products.
We actually don’t make trash here.”
— Kimberley Bezak
SHIFT began as a pop-up at the American Family Market down the street before moving to their current space in June 2022. When they first started, they sold a handful of the basics they still offer today: hand soap, shampoo, compostable dental floss and other daily personal care products.
Eagle says that their expanded space has allowed them to spread the idea that low-waste living is an option, and that it can be an easy one.
They’ve added other plastic-free household and personal care items, like shave soap bars, toothpaste tablets and dog treats, to their inventory as well.
“The shop doesn’t look like what we thought it would have looked like, because we grow with our customers,” Eagle says.
The store is split into two rooms: on the left is the refillery, and on the right is a boutique selection of local secondhand clothing, home goods, glassware and more. This side of the store features products from other local businesses, and is an educational space for SHIFT’s workshops and events, which range from clothing mending to monthly knife sharpening and candle refill events.
That community of shoppers and event attendees that SHIFT has built has made a measurable impact: Since opening, SHIFT has diverted 75,000 single-use containers from landfills.
Bezak says that every day, SHIFT’s customers are voting with their dollars. “And they’re more committed than ever, understanding this is where they are able to have an individual impact on their community and on the planet.
Fill ’er up
Looking for a refillery close to home? Check out these options in three Philly neighborhoods
Good Buy Supply
goodbuysupply.co
- 1737 E. Passyunk Ave.
- Open Tuesday-Sunday
- Founded: November 2020
What do you consider as your specialty? Emily Rodia, owner: Having all of these sustainable products under one roof. What do you think draws people most to your business? The refill station for sure. The fact that we have a lot of natural products here … in a pretty walkable spot. What product would you most like to see a zero-waste version of next? There are products out there that could become solid. Those are excellent swaps. I love all the bar versions of things.
Ray’s Reusables
raysreusables.com
- 935 N. 2nd St
- Open Wednesday-Monday
- Founded: January 2020
What do you consider as your specialty? Ray Daly, owner: The bulk refills on cleaning and body products. We make some stuff in-house as well. What do you think draws people most to your business? The fact that we carefully vet all the products coming in to be clean and green, plastic-free or with minimal packaging, and [have a] responsible supply chain. What do you use the most at home? The shampoo and conditioner bars. Or the bar soap.
Perennial Refill Hub
perennialrefillhub.com
- 6669 Germantown Avenue
- Open Wednesday-Sunday
- Founded: March 2024
What do you consider as your specialty? Susan Barry, owner: Meeting people where they are in the quest to lower household waste, without judgement, and supporting them in finding what works best for them. What do you think draws people most to your business? Our customers love shopping in a light and airy 1740 schoolhouse building fitted out with vintage and upcycled display furnishings. The setting recalls a more traditional, pre-plastic way of procuring everyday necessities. What do you sell the most of?We sell plenty of dish, hand and laundry soap, planet-friendly kitchen and pantry supplies, shampoo and conditioner bars and natural deodorant.
