Photo by Ray Finefrock

By Ray Finefrock

Special to Culpeper Times

Blending environmental consciousness with a variety of specialty gift items, Green Nest in Culpeper seeks to make a difference not only as a business, but also in the community and in the lives of individuals.

Open since February, Green Nest offers a variety of products that, according to its brochure, "do not jeopardize the natural resources or our environment."

And with "green" an extremely popular lifestyle choice these days, the shop is seeing increasing success.

"It’s been great to be here," said assistant manager Courtney Simpson, and "to see the interest in what we offer. Lots of people come in with a different notion of what we sell. They think we have dull, brown cleaning supplies and are surprised by the bright, fun gift ideas."

Simpson said she used to work seasonally at Pepperberries and was excited about the opportunity to manage Green Nest.

"This area used to be storage space for Pepperberries," Simpson said. "It’s been interesting to get everything setup and to make it a storefront again."

Simpson, 28, said one of her key responsibilities in researching new products is to find ones that are earth friendly.

"The manufacturing, production and shipping all must be environmentally sound for us to sell the product," she said. "For example, companies we buy from don’t use excess packing materials or lots of Styrofoam peanuts. The shipping boxes are also made from recycled materials"

Some shippers do use the peanut packing material, but the peanuts have to be corn-based ones that dissolve in water, Simpson said.

Simpson said one of the best selling items at Green Nest is the soy candle.

"You can enjoy the fragrance and then blow it out and dip your fingers in the wax, which is made from Shea butter," she said. We have also started offering Danielson Designs wall décor. You can go online (greenest.danielsondesigns.com) and make a great customized gift and have it delivered here. They use water-based paints and protect employees in the manufacturing process."

Sharon Clark, owner of Pepperberries, also owns the Green Nest, but the two are not related.

"I own both of them, that’s as far as it goes," Clark said. "Green Nest has kind of a different focus, but it has helped Pepperberries become a lot more green. The more you learn about the environment and what you are doing to it, the more you want to do what you can to help."

Clark said one of the reasons for opening Green Nest was simply to bring a different kind of product to Culpeper.

"It’s amazing the type of green product they can make nowadays," she said. "A lady today was looking for chlorine-free disposable diapers."

Said Simpson, "It’s hard to find things like that unless you’re in a bigger town."

Clark said customers suggest items for Green Nest and that the store has added a line of bamboo clothing based on a recommendation. And a customer recently brought in blue bottles that weren’t recyclable, Clark said, knowing the store would be able to use them in a display.

"We don’t have the space to do everything we would like to do," Clark said. "For instance, we would like to provide some type of recycling space."

Another impetus for opening Green Nest was to make better use of some existing space.

"In retail, every inch of space is valuable," Clark said. "I wish I could say my only motivation for opening Green Nest was that I wanted to save the world, but it was more a financial move at first since the economy was slowing down.

"I thought we could do something here that was different and earth-friendly and I wanted to offer products that would complement other downtown businesses, not compete with them. A lot of the stores downtown have green items. DDE_LINKWe just decided to pull a lot of stuff together to make this a destination for green gifts." DDE_LINK

Clark said Green Nest is probably not now all it will eventually become.

"We’re still getting our name out there and looking to expand some," she said. "Courtney has a pattern for what we are doing."

"We partnered with the community garden ("How does your garden grow?," Aug. 27 issue) and I had a plot."

Simpson said she and her daughters, Kayla, 12, Skyler, 9 and Genavieve, 8, helped at the garden and donated what they grew to Manna Ministries and the Culpeper Food Closet.

"My daughters know this is important," Simpson said. "They even carry eco-friendly book bags to school."

As Green Nest continues to grow, Clark said her goal is for the store to be open seven days a week.

"We’re looking forward to the holidays, too, when we will be open extended hours," she said. "We will have some unique gifts, reasonably priced."

Green Nest is on Facebook and Simpson writes a regular blog accessible at: greennestva.blogspot.com or from the Facebook page.

Finefrock can be reached at: Ranger1933@msn.com

Green Nest

Address: 102 N. Main St., Suite 102 (entrance on Davis Street)

Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Phone: (829)-NEST (6378)

E-mail: greennest@verizon.net