Jess Thompson opened Bee Joyful shop on the Kalamazoo Mall in 2020 after making and selling plastic-free products like cloth food wraps for years.
"This started when my kids were coming home and talking about the harmful nature of plastics and what it was doing that only to our planet and wildlife and ocean animals, but to our bodies as well," Thompson said.
When it opened, the store was filled with plastic-free products like coconut sponges and homemade cosmetics, and offered a refill station with products like laundry detergent, bath products and cleaning supplies that customers could fill their own containers with.
Thompson said the store was the first of its kind in Michigan to dedicate a business to plastic-free products.
"Our entire premise is that the entire store is plastic-free, zero-waste, low waste, all organic. And so that's that's our entire entire focus and our goal," Thompson said.
And since Bee Joyful opened, even more zero waste and refill shops have opened up across the state, But Thompson says she's made the "heartbreaking" decision to close her storefront.
"It is hard for small businesses," Thompson said. 'Everything that's going on in the world, everything that's going on to support small businesses — or lack thereof is — happening right now and there are good-hearted people who are trying. I'm not saying that they're not, but it's not enough."
Thompson said the decision was one of the hardest she’s ever made, but was ultimately necessary due to the rising cost of doing business and changing consumer habits.
”Everyone's struggling right now and so to be able to support small businesses, you have to feel comfortable that you can come and spend that money there," Thompson said.
Thompson said when everything is gone, she’ll keep selling her homemade products like soaps, handmade cosmetics and cloth wraps online. But until then, she's focused on closing the store as sustainably as possible.
“All of our fixtures, all of our everything is out for sale or to give away to people. I have other refill stores that are coming to look at things," Thompson said.
Thompson said her "everything goes" mindset is to ensure every last thing ends up with a purpose instead of being wasted.
“Really just trying to be very intentional about making sure that as little as possible goes into a landfill as we can," Thompson said.
Walking into the store in its current phase, almost everything has a price tag — even the decorations on the wall.
Thompson said she's seen stores close and throw out dumpsters full of usable items, and she's determined to show others that it's possible to close a business without generating excessive waste.
"I have somebody that just came in and got a shelving unit, they're going to use it for their plants," Thompson said. "So, it's just taking everything and looking at it and saying how can we repurpose this? How can this go to a new home? Is there something I could even take with me and use it at my house?"
On TikTok, Thompson is known as "Bee Joyful Jess" — she said her educational videos about zero-waste swaps and sustainability tips won't be going anywhere. And, she's still planning to sell her products online and continue her podcast, The Sustainable Hive.
Thompson said everything in the store will be discounted until all her inventory is gone. She said she has the storefront space until March 31, but isn't sure if she'll sell out before then.
Thompson said for now, the game plan is to keep the store open until the lease is up or until everything is gone, whichever comes first.
For now, she's focusing on eliminating trash as she packs up the store, finding a new home for its contents, and working through the emotions of parting ways with the shop.
"I have been so, so happy to be a part of this community and to see the regular people walk in every week with their clinking jars in their bag and their water buckets and all of their things," Thompson said. "Just everyone who has been supportive and coming out to not just my store, but to the events downtown and reminding others that this is a fun place to be and there's a lot going on and it's a beautiful little community."
