Megan, Lilly, and Mack Trenary. Megan says the family “wanted to do more for the environment than just at our own home.”
On a weekday afternoon, Mack and Lilly Trenary munch on an after-school snack in the back of their family’s new Main St. shop, Chelsea Outfitters. The general store, which offers sustainable alternatives for everyday products, opened in March when Culture Creations moved across the street.
Megan Trenary, who owns the shop with her husband Matt, says their kids are already making it their own. Mack, age nine, likes to do his homework in the store and wants to work the cash register. Lilly, seven, is working on her customer relations skills.
The family, who keep four ducks, a Newfoundland, and a vegetable garden at their Chelsea house, are “big composters,” Megan says, but “wanted to do more for the environment than just at our own home.”
The store offers everything from compostable toothbrushes and dental floss to wool dryer balls, Nalgene water bottles, and Megan’s favorite “super absorbent and soft” cotton zero-waste Fiveadrift towels, which double as fashionable throws. A pay-by-the-ounce soap refill station lets customers stock up on liquid laundry detergent, castile soap, and all-purpose cleaner, all made by MamaSuds in Goodrich.
Both Megan and Matt grew up in small southwest Michigan towns and went to U-M for their undergrad degrees, though they didn’t meet until after college. Their wedding in 2012 was a zero-waste affair in their backyard.
To encourage re-use, they’ve created a DIY clothes-patching station. Patches are $1 each, and customers can use two sewing machines to apply them. “My vision would be to see middle schoolers and high schoolers here, customizing their clothes, making them their own, and learning the value of keeping things in circulation,” Megan says.
She says their store “blends well” with craft-focused neighbors Farm Sudz and Agricole Farm Stop, and she appreciates the “collaborative nature” of all of Chelsea’s downtown businesses. She hopes their shop will appeal to walkers and bikers alike: The Trenarys park their electric cargo bike in the shop’s alley.
Chelsea Outfitters, 105 S. Main St. (734) 593–9394. Tues.–Thurs. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Closed Sun. & Mon. chelseaoutfitters.com
