Following a trend in low-environmental impact lifestyles, Milwaukee is about to get its first zero-waste specialty grocery store.
The Glass Pantry LLC has plans to open at 1039 S. 5th St. in Walker's Point by the end of the year, said owner Jenna Meier. The business' lease on the 1,000-square-foot retail space begins in November, Meier said.
The specialty grocery store will focus on selling bulk goods in reusable containers brought by customers. The bulk bins will have pantry staples such as beans, rice, coffee and tea. While pantry staples are found in bulk bins at stores such as Outpost Natural Foods and Whole Foods, The Glass Pantry will also sell items that are hard to find in bulk such as oil, vinegar, laundry detergent and dish soap.
The idea is to eliminate the packaging that customers take home with them when purchasing pasta or nuts wrapped in plastic. The Glass Pantry will also have paper bags and glass jars for purchase to take home bulk goods.
"It's not a sustainable way to live by throwing containers away," Meier said. "When all those things that you're buying come in these packages that aren't recyclable or sustainable, you get this eco-anxiety. What can I even do?"
"It's kind of empowering to take it into your own hands to create less trash," she said.
The Glass Pantry will have around 200 products in the store to start with, with many of the suppliers coming from the Midwest. The Glass Pantry will have low-waste lifestyle items such as reusable to-go containers, cutlery, napkins, cloth wipes and snack bags.
Meier said she has been trying to shop lower waste for years. She kept wishing that someone would open a zero-waste bulk shop in Milwaukee like ones found in other cities.
"So I decided to make it happen myself," she said. Meier started pursuing The Glass Pantry after going on maternity leave from her finance career about a year ago when her son was born.
Once Meier's lease starts on the space, she needs to apply for an occupancy license, install shelving and get the store ready for customers.
After the store opens, Meier said she wants to listen to customers to decide how to branch out the store's offerings. She would be interested in adding kombucha on tap and fresh produce. The Glass Pantry also plans to offer classes and workshops to learn about sustainable living.
Sarah Hauer can be reached at shauer@journalsentinel.com or on Instagram @HauerSarah and Twitter @SarahHauer. Subscribe to her weekly newsletter Be MKE at jsonline.com/bemke.
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