going grEEn IN StYlE

Eco Chic Boutique is First of its Kind in F-M Area

aybe it’s the repurposed bathtub in the center of the store. Or, maybe it’s the selection of made-fromtrees men’s briefs called Woodies — Eco Chic Boutique is a high-spirited take on what it means to be green.

“Green is fun, exciting, cool, and healthy,” Eco Chic co-owner Maria Bosak said. “We want to make the natural and organic industry easier to understand.”

Bosak and co-owner Leanne Sucrow met three years ago when they distributed Shaklee organic cleaning products. The women discovered a mutual love for coffee, bulldogs, and all things green. They noticed Fargo didn’t have an eco-friendly product hub and decided to fill the void. On June 4, 2010, Eco Chic Boutique opened its doors at 4955 17th Avenue South.

Repurposing found items, not altering the space’s architecture, and using non-toxic paint made the store ecofriendly. Local artisans helped to craft shelving and counters.

“Being green isn’t about being perfect, it’s about balance,” Bosak said. “We work with what we have so we don’t waste.”

The end result of the women’s effort is a conscious space transformation. Chartreuse walls and a fresh, earthy clean scent greet shoppers with as much warmth as the owners do. That’s the other thing about Eco Chic — it’s the store where everyone knows your name. “By the time people leave our store we know their name, who they’re shopping for, and probably their pet’s name,” Sucrow said.

The family-centric boutique has products for babies, moms, homes, and pets. Some art, clothing, jewelry, and other goods offered at the shop are made by local artists and entrepreneurs. The Eco Chic co-owners are huge supporters of buying local.

“Here in Fargo we are so good at supporting our community, and we have so many fabulous people who make really cool things,” Sucrow said.

Everything in the store is planet friendly in some way. Products are chosen after Sucrow and Bosak research companies and ensure that the company is green, local, fair trade, or earth conscious. They estimate that 75 percent of the store’s products are U.S. made. “There is nothing like this in town, and we are more than just a retail space,” Bosak said. “We’re here to educate and make people’s lives healthier.”

Eco Chic offers classes on topics such as how to reduce pesticides in homes and how to do cloth diapering.

Cloth diapering is the store’s specialty and a favorite on the Eco Chic baby registry of expectant mothers. The store currently carries GroVia and Kushies brand cloth diapers. The reusable diapers can be used from the time a baby is newborn until he or she reaches 35 pounds. “Cloth diapers save money, the environment, and they are safest for babies because they don’t have nasty chemicals,” Sucrow said. In the near future Eco Chic will have a cloth diapering room to teach parents about cloth diapering. “We want to be known as the cloth diapering experts,” Bosak said.

Eco Chic offers its store space for business meetings, baby showers, and other small events. [AWM] For more information visit Eco Chic Boutique on Facebook, visit the website at beingecochic.com or call 701-356-6600.