How We Started
The Unwaste Shop started as a pop-up shop in 2021 by Ben and Jess, two broadway actors with a big idea: make sustainable living simple and accessible for everyone. They opened the doors with a vision of creating a welcoming space where folks could refill, reuse, and find better everyday options for people and planet. Thanks to their energy and heart, the shop quickly became a cozy corner of the West Town neighborhood for anyone looking to live with a little less waste.
Meet Your Unwaste Shop Family > Todd
In 2022, Todd stepped in to carry The Unwaste Shop’s vision forward. At home, Todd and his wife Nicole had already been reshaping the way their family lived day to day. As parents, they wanted to model healthy habits—not just for their girls, but for the planet they’ll inherit. Together, they started swapping out plastic for reusable alternatives, choosing natural bath and body products, and cooking more plant-based meals.
While The Unwaste Shop marked Todd’s first venture into the zero-waste world, it wasn’t his first time building a mission-driven business. In his “past life,” he founded and ran a company dedicated to healthy, earth-friendly office snacking. When the pandemic closed offices and shifted that chapter, Todd knew he wanted to keep creating something that made a positive impact.
Taking the reins at The Unwaste Shop felt like a natural step. He’s carried forward the spirit of the shop, making the space warm, approachable, and community-driven, while bringing his own touch: plenty of enthusiasm, a love for connecting with people, and yes… an endless supply of dad jokes to keep things light while you refill your jars.
> Randi
Around the same time, Randi was dreaming up a refill shop of her own. Her journey into zero waste started more than a decade ago, when she began leaning into minimalism, choosing secondhand over new, and supporting businesses that put people and planet before profit.
After college and some time traveling the country, she came back to Chicago determined to take her passion further. She rolled up her sleeves, working in a zero-waste kitchen and a local B-Corporation, learning all she could about sustainable practices.
When her path crossed with Todd’s, it just clicked. Instead of opening a separate store, Randi joined The Unwaste Shop and before long they were tackling refills, laughing through long days, and dreaming about making low-waste living more accessible in Chicagoland.
Practice Makes Better
Today, The Unwaste Shop has grown into two neighborhood locations.
Todd leads the way in the West Loop where you’ll often find his wife, Nicole, helping with store design and events and his daughters livening up the space with artwork or helping stamp out our business cards! When they’re not hauling the kiddos to their sporting events, you may find their family enjoying one of their favorite West Loop restaurants.
Randi brings her passion to her neighborhood in Beverly. There you may see her gently used furniture on trash day and witness the patience of her partner, Josh, as he teaches her to use new tools to bring her visions to life. When not at the shop, they can be found on a walk with their trusty pup Roscoe or enjoying one of the restaurants or Irish pubs on Western.
All together, our goal is to create welcoming spaces where small steps toward sustainability add up to something bigger. We understand how much work it takes to find eco-friendly products that have natural ingredients, sustainable packaging, and transparent business practices, so we’ve done all the research for you. We only offer our favorite products and love everything we sell in our store. Many of the brands we carry are a combination of local, small businesses, women-owned, or Certified B Corporations!
We don’t need one person doing plastic-free living perfectly, we need to all work together to put more sustainable habits into practice, because practice makes better! And if we all do better, then we know we can make real change.
Wherever you are on your sustainability journey, we can’t wait to meet you and welcome you into The Unwaste Shop!
Our Mission
At The Unwaste Shop, we support a circular economy and promote reuse and recycling. By sending as little as possible to the landfill, we hope to lessen our (and your!) environmental impact and leave a healthy planet for future generations. Our goal is to provide sustainable alternatives to everyday items. We believe that by supporting brands that align with our values, we can help mitigate the climate crisis and create a healthier future for all. People over profit. Always.
What We're Doing:
1
Diverting Waste From Landfills
Almost all the items in our store are compostable or recyclable! Many of the products come package free, so nothing needs to get thrown away.
2
Transitioning Toward a Circular Economy
Our current linear economy of take-make-waste is not sustainable. Our refill station promotes the reuse of containers which eliminates the need for new packaging every time you make a purchase.
3
Encouraging Conscious Consumerism
We believe individual actions make a difference in combating the climate crisis. Every time you make a purchase, you’re voting with your wallet.