On Green Retailing

I read with great interest your recent article “Getting the ‘Right Stuff’: A Guide to Green Building Retailers” (

EBN

Vol. 10, No. 4). Your newsletter has always been a source of valuable, and credible, information. I would like to tell you a bit about my company and point out a couple of differences of opinion I have with your article.

Safe Building Solutions is a retailer and wholesale supplier of premium quality, safer, and more natural building materials. We have been supplying these products worldwide for over seven years, which leads me to the first point I have. It is obvious that the West and Northwest garner most of the attention in this industry, and deservedly so. But I can tell you that the green building movement here in the Midwest is alive and growing rapidly. I currently wholesale to five retail establishments* that specialize in selling “green” building materials, and several other small stores that sell a variety of environmentally friendly products.

The second difference of opinion is this: I receive at least two or three inquiries a week from individuals or well-established companies looking to jump into the “green retailing” industry. Half of the companies I currently work with have started up within the last two years. Maybe the growth of new companies in other parts of the country is stagnant, but not around here.

Thank you again for your informative articles.

Andrew J. Pace, CSI

Safe Building Solutions

Genesee Depot, Wisconsin

*Builders Wholesale Supply,

Fairfield, Iowa · Energy and Environmental Concepts,

Traverse City, Michigan · Home Environment,

Madison, Wisconsin · Natural Interiors,

Cincinnati, Ohio · Susan J. Mielke Designs,

Minneapolis, Minnesota