Find sustainable products, not plastic, at Oakland’s Re-Up Refill Shop

Customers inside Oakland's Re-Up Refill Shop. All photos courtesy of Re-Up Refill Shop.

Give refilling a try. Stop by Re-Up Refill Shop and use the code “BARTable” at checkout in the store for 15% off your first order.

When the pandemic first started, takeout containers and single-use plastics came back with a vengeance because sanitization was on our minds. Now, more and more people are trying to make up for it as plastic pollution weighs heavy on our conscience.

So at the start of the new year, when the pandemic entered its third year, Re-Up Refill Shop had its best day ever. It was January 5, and the Oakland retailer that serves as a refill shop and zero-waste pantry wasn’t struggling to make ends meet like many businesses; it was struggling to meet demand. 

“We won’t ever close again over the winter holiday,” co-owner Matt Zimbalist says. “The day we reopened was crazy busy all day because people were missing their refills.” 

The storefront on College Ave.

While many people take work home with them, Zimbalist and partners Peter Lollo and Carly Fishman—entrepreneurial environmentalists—have sort of taken their home to work. The result is a successful eco-friendly store located at 6025 College Avenue, a five-minute walk from Rockridge BART Station. 

“This is how my house has looked for the past 15 years,” Zimbalist says, referencing Re-Up Refill’s stock of sustainable supplies minus plastic packaging. “I have everything we carry in my home.” 

Having opened as a new brick-and-mortar in July of 2021, the long, narrow space is run by an eight-person staff providing ecological home goods—biodegradable cleaning supplies, organic cooking essentials, package-free bath and body care—and bulk foods. 

Inside the store.

Bring your own containers or buy reusable ones on the spot. They even sell bags with separate built-in dividers to keep your bottles from clanging. Then load up, weigh, and pay. 

Along with the bulk supplies, you’ll discover common smaller items made in alternative ways: compostable sponges, bamboo toothbrushes, and rolls of “unpaper towels” are just a few of the handy things for everyday use.

“We as a society are becoming more conscious of plastic as it becomes a bigger problem; you see it in the oceans and in public parks,” Zimbalist explains. “We’re so invested in a disposable system that has this big waste problem. So it’s hard to get products not in plastic, and that generally drives people to our store.”

A customer fills a glass bottle with laundry detergent.

By normalizing the concept of BYOC (bring your own container) for shopping and making the hunt for package-free goods easier, Re-Up Refill helps people move a little closer toward a zero-waste lifestyle. “We’re trying to provide for the community all these resources to reduce their single-use footprint.”

Zimbalist describes the shop as an “entry point” to addressing home waste. It’s a place where you can begin making small but consistent choices that honor a larger (often daunting) goal. So rather than attempting to make “radical changes that don’t last very long,” he suggests pursuing actionable steps. 

He then says something you don’t expect to hear from a retailer. 

“Don’t come in to buy everything,” he advises newbies, causing a double-take. “Chip away at low-hanging fruit by waiting until you run out of something that we carry, and then come in to start restocking it.” 

Things to know before you go

Zimbalist shares some pro tips to help you make the most out of your refilling experience: 

1. Shop during the weekdays. Refilling takes more time than normal shopping, so make it easier by avoiding the weekend crowds.

2. Go online to reuprefills.org to see all the current products available. Then use the Grocery List builder to have your personal grocery list ready in advance. 

3. Pre-label your containers so that you go in organized and efficient. 

Top 3 Best-Selling Products

Here are Re-Up Refill Shop’s most popular items locals are currently checking out with:

1. Biodegradable and Eco Cleaning Line 
2. Organic California Olive Oil and Organic Cooking Oils
3. Zero-Waste and Plastic-Free Home Goods 

Founders Top 5

The founders of Re-Up Refill Shop give their favorite items they think you should especially know about:

1. Re-Up Oral Care (Refillable Floss)
2. Rebrand Refillable Skin Care Line
3. Bulk Food Snacks
4. Food Huggers and Vejibags
5. Reusable Paper Towel

What did you refill?

We want to hear about how you're being sustainable (besides riding BART of course)! Show us on social media, @SFBARTable #SFBARTable! Keep up with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to see all of the best BARTable events, places to eat and have fun around the Bay.