Yardley Refillery Offers 'New Way Of Shopping'

YARDLEY, PA —It's a new way of shopping. And its owners say their business is the first refillery in Bucks County to offer such shopping.

Yardley Refillery held its official grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony by the Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce last Thursday attended by state and local politicians and other community members.

They came to christen this new sustainable business that has drawn customers from as far away as Doylestown in Bucks County and closer to home in Newtown, Yardley, and Lower Makefield Township.

"We are the first. It's something we promote," Owner Jaime Alford told Patch Monday. Alford is the principal owner along with Karin McLaughlin, whose husband Dan and Rob Knab also have ownership stakes in the business.

The business basically operates as one that meets the needs of "all areas of daily life," Alford said.
She said it offers about 500 different types of products and supplies, everything from coffee beans and dry goods to shampoo and birdseed and everything in between.

"If you need two screws, we offer hardware products. We have beans, nuts, grains, toothpaste, glass jars, bottles, and other packaging," she said. Alford also mentioned a cream deodorant that offers a natural application.

For example, if you run out of coffee beans, you bring your empty canister to Yardley Refillery to (re)fill up.

The business opened in September, replacing the longtime gift shop at the corner of South Main Street and Afton Avenue at the main intersection in the heart of the borough's downtown district.

Alford said there are similar refilleries in Philadelphia and South Jersey and one on the Main Line, but the business is unique to Bucks County.

"This store has hit upon something with customers," Alford said. "It's a new way of shopping. They want to be sustainable. We are giving them that option."

They call it "low-waste living" with refilleries described in the industry as a store where you can bring your own containers or purchase reusable ones to fill with bulk essential goods, often with more sustainable and health-conscious profiles, Yardley Refillery's website states.

Products are sold by weight or each, so you can buy what you need, a great benefit in an uncertain economy, Alford said.

"When you stop in for a refill with your clean and dry containers, we will show you the simple process to weigh, tag, fill, and pay. We will also stock a collection of plastic-free containers for product usage and storage to get you started on your refill journey.

Alford has lived in Yardley for 25 years and her fellow owners also have local roots here for 20 years.

She believes that the borough is ripe for her business as the downtown district undergoes a makeover led by such businesses as The Vault, FZ Works, Panna Gelateria, the Krysset boutique, and LaLa Lobster.

"It's the right place for something like this," she said. "This is more than shopping. It's slowing down and being mindful of the products you buy."

State Sen. Steve Santarsiero, State Rep.Perry Warren, and Yardley Borough Councilman David Appelbaum and Uri Feiner were among those who attended the ceremony.

The refillery's hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

(Photo courtesy of Jenn.jpeg Photography) Owner Jaime Alford cuts the ribbon during a grand opening ceremony by the Lower Bucks Chamber of Commerce last Thursday for Yardley Refillery on Main Street.