Little Green Barn Moves Out, Our Green House Moves In

By Nancy K. Crevier

After three years in business, the past two of which included a booming online business, Our Green House on South Main Street was bursting at the seams and looking for more space to accommodate inventory and customers. “We had customers climbing over boxes to get at stuff,” said Pam Davis, who with her husband, Mike, owns Our Green House, a business dedicated to providing products safe for the environment while maintaining a clean and healthy home and natural lifestyle. So when Mary Fellows, owner of Little Green Barn at 4 Washington Street in Sandy Hook contacted the Davises in late 2006 to tell them that the Washington Street space would be available, they jumped on it.

“We had been looking for months for a better space, but most of the commercial space available in Newtown was not what we wanted,” said Ms Davis. “[The Washington Street space] was just what I had in mind.  We have gone from 600 square feet to 1,800 square feet. And I think it’s so cool that the building was once a general store and that Our Green House is kind of like a general store.” It seemed right, too, said Ms Davis, that one “green” business was taking the place of another.

Former Little Green Barn customers will feel right at home when they step into the reconfigured storefront that is now Our Green House, with several products, such as the jewelry, recycled purses made of license plates, and Green Sleep mattresses still available there. In addition, though, environmentally conscious shoppers will be pleased at the expanded line of natural cleaning products, skin care products, bedding, pet care, bath and body products, and kitchen items that line the shelves.

Baby and children’s clothing, from sizes infant to 4T, make a colorful display down one side of the room. “Baby products are a big part of our business,” said Ms Davis. “We opened a baby registry online and we get thousands of requests from all over for natural baby items.” Newtown residents can simply stop by the store, which held its soft opening Monday, February 5, to examine firsthand the organic and natural bedding, cribs, toys, and mattresses.

A large area to the rear of the store sells wooden toys, children’s books, and stuffed animals made of environmentally sensitive materials that parents of children with allergies can appreciate, and that the Davises believe will appeal to any child who enjoys fun, cuddly, and educational toys.

Ms Davis is particularly pleased that Our Green Store can now carry an expanded line of the Safecoat paints containing no volatile organic gases or formaldehyde. Custom colors using the eco-friendly paints are mixed on premises and can be color-matched to many of the leading paint brands, said Ms Davis.

“We are trying to carry just about anything that makes your home environmentally friendly,” she said. “Even the furniture that we sell is eco-friendly, meaning it is made with no toxic glues, no plywood, and safe finishes. Some of the pieces are made from reclaimed wood.”

The newly relocated Our Green House will be carrying more gift type items than it did at its old location, said Ms Davis. Glassware created from recycled glass, handcrafted jewelry, and kitchen items are new to their business.

“Our online business has kept us so busy the past couple of years, and with such limited space at our old address, we couldn’t really do much with walk-in business,” Ms Davis said. “This year, our focus will be on the storefront business. We plan to offer evening classes focused on living naturally, classes on feng sheui, that sort of thing. I see us becoming more involved in the community now that we are centrally located.”

The business will operate only out of the Washington Street location and online, Ms Davis wanted to stress, noting that one day it would be nice if multiple Our Green House stores could populate the region.

Our Green House is at 4 Washington Street, at the intersection of Route 34 and Church Hill Road in the former Little Green Barn. Store hours are Monday through Thursday, 10 am to 5 pm; Friday, 10 am to 7 pm; and Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm. To order online visit ourgreenhouse.com. Questions about product lines and availability can be directed to willow02@aol.com or call 364-1484.