Sharing Space: Fulfilled Goods moves in with Derby Farms in Piccadilly Square

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Fulfilled Goods owner Shara Ertel, left, and Derby Farms owner Lucinda Chrislip have teamed up and now share space in Piccadilly Square. Photo by Ryan Nacy

In an era of corporate monoliths and same-day delivery, small business owners are facing more hurdles than ever before. But as many storefronts struggle to remain open, two Newton businesses found common cause in their mission to remain eco-conscious while staying commercially competitive.

As they approach the first anniversary of their shared location at 1280 Centre St., Newton Centre, Shara Ertel of Fulfilled Goods and Lucinda Chrislip of Derby Farms Flowers & Gardens took the time to reflect on their partnership and discuss the underlying values that’ve shaped their approaches to business.

Fulfilled Goods is a low-waste refillery offering a variety of pantry staples like spices, pasta, dried fruit and much more. They also stock a variety of personal care products, including deodorants and skincare products that lack the bulky packaging common with such items.

Unlike a traditional grocery store, customers bring their own boxes and jars. Items are weighed, rather than sold by the unit, allowing customers to purchase only the amount they’ll need. The two businesses operate side by side, creating a general-store atmosphere completely different from the big-box warehouses familiar to most consumers.

Ertel and Chrislip first met through local small business events organized by Newton’s Director of Economic Development, Lauren Berman. They found common ground in their status as environmentally focused small business owners.

Ertel originally proposed simply selling Fulfilled Goods products in Derby Farms locations; they eventually decided to collaborate in a shared space in Newton Centre. Ertel described the rationale as “two sustainability-focused businesses came together to share resources, so we can make it easier on both of us.”

Sharing a space has been a gradual evolution, according to Ertel; “When Lucinda first moved in, she only took over the lower part of the store—it was very much ‘your space, my space.’ But once we brought food into it this spring, we had to rethink the whole layout. She took the upper level, and I moved down into the lower space.”

Both remain dedicated to providing quality goods while promoting sustainability.

“Once you start doing it, it becomes part of your routine,” says Ertel. “You think, ‘next time I run out of this spice, I’ve got to come here’; it’s fresher, it’s what you actually want, and it’s a lot cheaper.”

Lauren Berman, who originally brought the two businesses together, is thrilled that they’ve found an arrangement that benefits both stores; “Co-locating these two businesses is clever. In doing so, they can defray the high costs of having a large, premium location in Newton Centre.

Fulfilled Goods and Derby Farms also have a lot of commonalities in their customer bases, so if shoppers are initially drawn to one business, it’s easy to see them shopping at the other. It’s a model that I suspect may gain traction for larger retail spaces that can be more difficult to rent.”

Ertel and Chrislip hope the co-location will continue to introduce customers to sustainable shopping practices, one small change at a time. In summing up her philosophy of gradual progress, Ertel quotes zero-waste chef Anne Marie Bonneau: “We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions doing it imperfectly.”

Fulfilled Goods is currently running a CSA program in partnership with Farmer Tim’s Vegetables. Participants can pick up a variety of organically grown vegetables each week.

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