A closing sale is underway at Greater Goods on U Street NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Luis Gomez
Retailer Greater Goods at 1626 U Street NW will be closing its doors on February 27. Owner Daniel Velez said they would no longer be able to keep the store open, which sells eco-friendly home, personal care and pet products.
The store is having a closing sale, with 25% to 50% off many products. The location was the site the Companion Pets Shop prior to Greater Goods.
After four years in business, Velez said is happy with what he accomplished, but is sad he must close. The upside is that he will be able to take some time off to be with his family.
Borderstan profiled the business last March: Greater Goods Focuses on Sustainability, Green Products.
Greater Goods at 1626 U St. NW (Luis Gomez Photos)
The eco-friendly Greater Goods at 1626 U St. NW is offering a series of free workshops starting on October 14 on various topics. Included in the series are ones on saving money through small house projects, installing solar panels at your home or office, reducing stress through meditation and enriching your garden through urban composting. There is a limit of 20 people per class.
15 Money Saving Projects Under $500
Thursday Oct. 14, 7 to 8 pm, Free
Energy and water use have a direct impact on the environment. It is becoming increasingly important to be cognizant of our usage to avoid wasting these resources. Come out and learn about some do-it-yourself projects that will not only reduce your carbon and water footprints, but put money back in your pocket by decreasing your utility costs.
Solar Panels For Your Home or Business
Tuesday Oct. 19, 7 to 8 pm, Free
There are a variety of different solar panel options available. This workshop will cover the process of installation from beginning to end, including a discussion about your location and the impact that has on the output, the associated costs and benefits of photovoltaic and solar thermal systems and the financial incentives associated with the purchase and use of the panels.
Mind and Meditation Seminar
Thursday Oct. 21, 7 to 8 pm, Free
Relax and rejuvenate with a Mind and Meditation seminar brought to you by the Art of Living Foundation. Learn ways to reduce stress, increase energy and promote overall well-being through the power of meditation and breathing. This interactive session looks at the ways that our minds gets caught in stress and how we can concentrate more on the present. Participants will learn practical breathing techniques to help reduce thoughts and increase focus. The session will end with a guided meditation.
Urban Composting
Saturday Oct. 30, 11 am to noon, Free
Break it down! Who knew composting in the city could be so easy? Composting is the decomposition of organic materials to make an earthy, dark, crumbly substance that is excellent nutrition for your houseplants or enriching your garden. It is the best way to recycle your yard and kitchen wastes, and is a critical step in reducing the volume of garbage needlessly sent to landfills for disposal. Soil and healthy plants depend on compost. Learn how to make compost with no smell, no fuss and no muss!
Located on the western end of the U Street corridor, Greater Goods at 1626 U Street NW sells eco-friendly home, personal care and pet products. (Borderstan)
From Luis Gomez
Whether you call it gentrification, revitalization or simply development, the U Street corridor has changed rapidly in the past decade. The eastern end of this famous DC avenue often gets the most attention due to the new residential buildings, and restaurants and clubs that have proliferated on U Street east of 14th Street NW.
However, new businesses have also opened on the western end of U Street, one of them being Greater Goods at 1626 U Street NW. As part of an ongoing series focusing on local entrepreneurs and retail businesses, we talked to Daniel Velez, founder and owner of Greater Goods.
Borderstan: Tell us a little bit about your businesses.
Velez: Greater Goods is DC’s source for eco-friendly products and services. Our goal is to help people live more sustainably by offering “greener” versions of products they use every day.
Borderstan: When did you start your business? Why did you decide to become an entrepreneur?
Velez: We started in November 2007 with a very small number of products! I was thinking a lot about our dependence on foreign oil, energy independence, and global warming. There was no place in DC that sold the green products I was looking for, so I decided to open one myself.
Borderstan: Many entrepreneurs, business owners have had other start-ups and businesses. What was the most unusual job you ever had or most interesting business you owned?
Velez: A friend and I created a company right out of college so we could take on a video editing project. I had no idea what I was doing, but we got the project and then didn’t sleep for weeks working on it. We called it Front Stoop Productions. The company lasted just one project.
