B is for Bedford. In Bedford there’s a beautiful store. What’s more, this store, The Store, has got themselves a one and only, living wall. Rosanna opened The Store back in August 2019 to bring a whole heap of positivity to her community & to help folks reduce their everyday waste at home. Ro sure did deliver the goods!
We caught up with her recently to find out what it’s like to run a zero waste store, to be a part of a community. She shares her inspirations and some of the lessons she’s learned along the way.
WHO ARE YOU?
I’m Rosanna. Owner of The Store Bedford Ltd.
HOW DID YOU WIND UP DOING WHAT YOU DO?
I was living in America, thinking about what I wanted to do next in life. I knew I wanted to run another business but I had no idea what. So I spent 6 months travelling, working, having little responsibilities and allowed myself to dream. It was in this time I knew I wanted to combine my business sense with my eco values and do something that would help people to be more eco friendly.
It’s frustrating that a few big companies and big people are causing the most pollution and damage to our eco system, which gives permission for our culture to accept those values. I wanted to start a business that helps change people’s mindset and their behaviour, to actively reject single use mentality and plastic pollution.
WHY IS THE STORE BEDFORD A COOL PLACE TO BE?
Everything in The Store is personally chosen, considered and tested before it goes on sale. I put each product through several filters before deciding whether it should be in The Store. I look at who it’s made by, where it comes from, how it’s sold, why it’s a positive product, how it promotes healthy practice and whether or not it’s from an independent retailer! So that you can trust that everything you buy from us, supports something good and positive, which means every sale makes a difference.
IF YOU WEREN’T RUNNING THE STORE WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING?
Maybe I’d still be living care free in USA or working for a national park somewhere!?
WHAT’S ON THE HORIZON?
Good things. Surely?
WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE TO REUSE?
It was never a choice for me, it was just common sense to my brain. So I’m here trying to make it common sense to everyone else too.
WHY DO YOU REFILL?
Again, refill as a concept simply made sense to me. I just couldn’t understand why it didn’t exist everywhere for everything, so I made it exist.
WHY FILL REFILL?
I’d picked FILL even before I had landed back in UK. Natural, refillable, local. All the ticks. Plus likeminded people and values make them so easy to work with.
COOLEST OTHER REFILLABLE?
Peanut Butter without question.
HARDEST THING TO FIND WITHOUT PACKAGING?
For where I am in the country, it’s probably fresh produce. Or make up.
HOW DO YOU ESCAPE?
Sacred Sundays. No work. No laptop. Right now, running The Store doesn’t give me the luxury for weekend breaks and regular trips exploring. But I make sure that one day a week I make some time where I can switch off mind and body. It seems to do the trick.
BEST MOMENT
The moment I became proud of what I’ve achieved. About 4 years into running the business.
A VALUABLE LESSON:
I’ve had many of these along the way. But my most recent lesson learnt was while I was at Cineworld. I raised an eye brow at the total cost of a film, drink and snack. I looked around me and guessed I had probably spent the least when compared with everyone else in the queue. People didn’t seem to blink an eye at the price. Later that week I was in a cafe where they were selling chocolate slices for £5.00. Two women around me bought £60.00 worth buying 6 each and were so excited they took a photo of it. That same week, someone mentioned the price of my coffee wondering if it was too high. I realised then that it really wasn’t. When people are spending so much money on high sugar, processed foods and billion dollar entertainment industries, then spending money on fair trade, organic practices and ethically sourced products is not the item that’s overpriced here. Since then I’ve been prouder about the products I sell in The Store and their prices.
RECOMMEND SOMETHING
Visit The Store of course!
