News from the Environmental Home Store

The Environmental Home Store Caps its

First Year by Opening A New Store

By Muze

When Todd Ballantyne opened the region’s first green building products store last September, he didn’t count on working even harder than he had in his job as a senior executive at a regional television station. Then again, if he didn’t want to work so hard, he wouldn’t be opening a second store later this month.

The sun-dappled store in Mt. Airy has been a success at many levels, he reports–enough to justify opening the new store in Doylestown that is twice its size.

“What a great neighborhood to launch this business,” he says. “Our neighbors were green before it was a buzzword. They are savvy and often familiar with the type of products we carry.”

In July, after almost a week in training in New Mexico, Todd and manager Tracy Bai earned a certification from American Clay to be the regional distributor for sales and application of that textured natural wall surface product.

In August, the store won the “Best of Philly—for Green Resources” award from Philadelphia Magazine. NBC, CBS and ABC all broadcast features on summer newscasts.

And in late September, the light-filled corner store at Carpenter Lane and Greene Street will officially become a flagship, as he opens a second site in Doylestown, on Main Street. The Lansdale showroom essentially will shift to Doylestown. “There will be room to test out new products there and bring the best of them back home here.”

“I wish there was time for reflection about our one year anniversary,” Todd muses. “We do want to thank our neighbors and other customers, and meet new folks. To celebrate its one-year anniversary, the Environmental Home Store will discount new “enviro” paint brushes by half, along with discounting paint manufactured within 100 miles–throughout the Mt. Airy Village Fair, Sunday, Sept. 21. The fair will be held at the intersection of Greene St.and Carpenter Lane, which the store shares with Weavers Way Co-op. The Environmental Home Store, 550 Carpenter Lane, Philadelphia. For more information, www.environmentalhomestore.com or 215-844-4733