terra20 will open its doors on Sept. 15 at the Pinecrest Shopping Centre to begin selling its 12,000 products in the 15,000-square-foot location, filling the remainder of the old Ikea location.
Steve Kaminski, co-founder of the store and owner of the local Colonnade Group of Companies, says the idea for the store came after having a difficult time finding the eco-friendly products he wanted while building his house.
Teaming up with Bill Stewart, an Ottawa native with 18 years of retail experience with Rogers Communications Inc., the two launched terra20. The department store will eventually have an online store and multiple locations, Mr. Kaminski said, without mentioning possible destinations.
“By having multiple locations, we can better support the vendors that make the products,” he said.
Vendors, many from Ottawa and Ontario, are able to send representatives into the store to discuss their products with customers.
Those products will include clothing, lighting, cosmetics, office supplies and toys. The store will also feature North America’s largest ecobar, a refill station where customers can purchase eco-friendly cleaning products then return the empty containers for a refund or refill – “similar to a Beer Store,” as Mr. Kaminski put it.
With 22 staff members, the terra20 store will target anyone looking to continue or make a change towards a more sustainable lifestyle.
“Everyone is going to have their own pace, what we call their own shade of green,” Mr. Kaminski said. “We want to accommodate every one of them if we can.”
The store will incorporate recycled or sustainable building products, paint with low levels of volatile organic compounds and efficient lighting. iPads throughout the store will provide product and vendor details.
terra20’s head office will be located at 16 Concourse Gate in Ottawa.
OBJ first reported on terra20’s arrival in Ottawa when the Sears Home store opened next to its location that was under construction at the time.
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