"Refill, Replenish, Restock" As Featured on ITV Yorkshire & Look North!
The Back-fill! & Story
Chapel Allerton's freshest independent store has landed! Perched towards the top of the high street is a hidden retail gem - the Refilling Station. A truly independent store that has an amazing goal at heart- to reduce packaging, encourage more sustainable consumables and add a "replenishing" twist to the way we shop locally.
It was our delight to meet Kirsty Dodds the creative mind and owner of The Refilling Station. Kirsty has been in situ in her permanent premises since March this year following a successful pop up spot on a Friday and Saturday on Stainbeck Lane. Kirsty was well known for propping up the pop up spot with her leg in pot! Come rain or shine- Chapel Allerton was getting that chance to go green!
Kirsty is an uber passionate individual in the field of sustainability boasting a special eye for high quality products with local supply chain links across Yorkshire- filling the store from top to bottom. As soon as you walk in to the store Kirsty is there welcoming everyone with open arms!
We took our youngest member of the team Hugo at 2 years old to get hands on and economical, source some of our favourite essentials and have an interactive shopping trip in the newest destination store on Chapel Allerton's High Street- an ideal summer holiday schedule filler!
Pour and measure your own Zone!
We started our journey amongst the Refilling Station's "zones" at the top section of the store. Grab your paper bag, pick your product and crank that handle! What an amazing concept, with eye catching transparent dispensers filling the walls crying out to be poured. The store is stuffed with a vast array of produce, including all the essentials on your normal shopping list.
"Waste not, want not" is a phrase we all know well, and the Refilling Station has got this bang on - encouraging small and targeted measurements with each handle crank. It was a real eye opener - as with each pour of the product, there would usually be a plastic bag wrapped around it or some sort of packaging. Immediately the store's ethos plays out, which is a great education piece for children and adults alike, independents like this have the potential to save on tonnes of unnecessary plastic and waste.
With the rice happy in its paper bag, it was time to explore the rest of the delights on offer. Read below as we worked our way around the Refilling Station's other products and Eco Zones, and tested out the new addition to the store- the funkiest self serve-label printing set of scales...
The Rice, Pulses & Snack Zone
From British Quinoa (which you don't often find locally) to Wasabi peas with a spicy kick - the rice, pulses and snack zone is a great place to start for the staple meal supply and essential nibbles. We loved how sparkly and clean all of the equipment Is in the store, keeping it fresh and vibrant for the peruse.
The Herbs & Spices Zone
Not sure about you, but our cupboards are bursting at home with all sorts of herbs and spices, ranging from half full to almost empty bottles and jars...
Well then - let the refilling station relieve you of your spice mix packaging dramas and come to top yourself up. A great idea in the store nestled on its own spice rack in the corner...Exciting news Chapel Allerton's very own spice creator Spice & Green is now available in store.
The Pre Packaged & Sustainably Sourced Zone
Hello Yorkshire products! We loved discovering that there are also some lush pre-packaged items in the Pre-Packaged & Sustainably Sourced Zone... rapeseed oils, rapeseed mayo, all linked to the strong local supply chain relationships that Kirsty and the team strive to build...
The Vegan & Free From Zone
On to a packed selection of Vegan and Free From products, mustards, fizzy drinks which contain no additives and crisp breads. The variety and careful stock selection process has been clearly thought out to give such a colourful 'love local supply' display...
The Refillable Liquid Zone
Moving down in to the bottom area of the Refilling Station is the Refill Liquid Zone! A vast array of sustainable fluids for the home including shampoo, conditioner and household cleaning products galore - all non-harmful for the environment. This is another bespoke angle to the store - bring your old bottles, get them in position and get them filled up!
We were now excited for little Hugo to give Kirsty's new electronic scales a whirl, testing our newly refilled conditioner bottle ready for the daily spinning load(s) back home!
The extra fun part - Fill-Weigh-Pay Zone!
Not many independent stores offer a chance to self-serve. Certainly not after filling your own bits, weighing it out, and then printing your own label - the Refilling Station Chapel Allerton does exactly that. Once the label has been printed you are ready to hit the tills!
We loved that Kirsty's team were on hand to support, however we are not sure Hugo needed it - now a Refilling Station regular and all. Labels printed, and our essential purchases building up we headed to the next speciality zone...
Personal Care Zone
You wont be disappointed with the eclectic mix and variety in this cool section of the store. From organic SPF sunscreen, sustainable health and beauty products including kids toothbrushes, soaps and dry shampoo. A number of new-born products line the shelves, nappies (they are reusable!) the list goes on, a must check out zone when you visit.
Look at these ace soaps! "Alter/native" buys which look and smell brilliant!
Our personal favourite from this zone... natural deodorant. Something we had never heard of, but the quality, smell and appearance of this offering is very appealing. We left smelling better than we walked in!
Dairy milk alternative Zone
Now on to the final two Zones of our inaugural Refilling Station summer holiday experience. Has anyone decided that cows milk is no longer for them?!.. then there is the perfect alternative selection here. We converted to the oat milk a few months ago, so this is a gold dust discovery that it is available on Chapel Allerton's High Street.
Tea & Coffee Break Zone - not to miss the Chocolate!
And to finish with a treat, we discovered the perfect mix of refillable sustainable and luxury tea's and coffees, some with a local heritage being roasted in Baildon Yorkshire, supporting and growing the regions independent successes. The Refilling station have the coffee delivered in their own reusable containers- there is no end to the thought process and sustainable mindset here!
Don't miss out on the biggest bar of chocolate in the shop, second shelf down- used to make the tastiest hot chocolates...
Destination Store indeed!
From refilling, to pouring, to learning about the measurements on the scales and understanding our eco-footprint packaging impacts - the Refilling Station Chapel Allerton lines the shelves with some really inspirational ideas for the home. We loved the introduction to this concept which has something for everyone - well done to Kirsty and the team for bringing this to the suburb!
We would highly recommend fitting the Refilling Station in to your Summer holiday destination schedule, or try testing your routine shopping habits for something a little more eco-quirky!
The Refilling Station
176 Harrogate Road
Chapel Allerton
Leeds
LS7 4NZ
T: 01132691730
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