When Koko opened its first shop in Westgate last summer, it was never intended to be the one and only.
Over the last year, the refillery and sustainable living shop has opened three other locations – Louisville in October, Lexington in December and Cincinnati in February, but now the time has come to double down on Columbus.
Koko will open the doors to local shop number two this September in Clintonville at 3023 Indianola Ave.
Co-Founder Adria Hall says Clintonville was a popular request from customers.
“There was a lot of need and want for something more north in Columbus,” Hall says.
In fact, in Hall’s ideal world, refilleries like Koko would be ubiquitous neighborhood staples like a CVS, making sustainability more accessible to more people. That also means there’s a possibility of more Kokos in Central Ohio’s future.
To open not one, but four locations in the midst of a pandemic might seem improbable, but Hall has found the situation has played a unique role in spurring Koko’s growth.
“The funny thing about us all being in our homes, not able to go into the office, is that people have been spending a lot more time really sitting with their decisions as a consumer and the type of products that they are buying and consuming and the choices that they are making,” Hall says.
Amid climate worries, a tumultuous political landscape and more, Hall sees more people taking their sustainability efforts into their own hands and committing to something that they can control.
At 800 square feet, the new Clintonville shop will have a smaller footprint than Westgate, but stock nearly an identical selection of goods.
The matching selections tie back to Hall’s push for accessibility. She doesn’t want customers to come searching for something at one store to find it’s only available at the other.
Koko has continued to expand the selection of products available at its bulk refill bar. Customers can fill and refill home products like all-purpose cleaner, essential oils, dish soap and hand soap, as well as face and body products like sunscreen, lotion, deodorant, shaving cream, lip balm, toothpaste and mouthwash. There’s also shampoo, conditioner and body wash, and even laundry detergent.
Outside of the bulk bar, “We’ve really expanded our skincare and beauty offerings,” Hall says.
Koko offers several brands of sustainable skincare and makeup products, including Elate Cosmetics. As shopping for makeup online can be difficult, Hall is excited to provide a local, in-person experience for the brand.
There are also sustainable everyday items like dish brushes, reusable bags, food storage containers and more.
Overall, Hall describes the Koko’s selection as a one-stop shop for home needs and routines to live more sustainably.
Koko joins a stretch of Indianola that has welcomed other sustainably-minded businesses in The Little Light Collective and Marigold. Hall calls the enterprises two of her favorite women-owned, sustainable businesses. The stars aligned to place all three on a block with a shared customer base.
Koko will host a soft opening preview during the Shine On Festival & Flea hosted by The Little Light Collective on September 5. The shop’s grand opening will be the week of September 11.
Store hours will be Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
For more information, visit kokotheshop.com.