THEA AND TOM PAULEY operate Eco Now, a new shop in the Cottage Industries project in Garden Grove. Held by Tom is JB and held by Thea is TJ. Eco Now is a “zero waste shop and refill station” (Orange County Tribune photo).

By Jim Tortolano/Orange County Tribune

Ever struggled with a heavy plastic jug filled with slippery detergent pods or thick stain-prone liquids while trying to get your laundry done?

There may be a solution for you in what might be called the wash-day standard of the future and an introduction to what may be a big part of the future of Garden Grove.

Recently opened in the Cottage Industries project east of the Civic Center is Eco Now, which bills itself as a “zero waste shop and refill station.”

DETERGENT and “orange crate” sold at Eco Now/

According to owner and operator Thea Pauley, she and her husband Tom are marketing a way around the expensive store-bought detergents that also fill up the solid waste dumps.

“We are a zero waste refill store that promotes sustainable living,” said Thea. You purchase a glass jar topped with a simple finger pump and when you run low on the clear detergent within, you bring it back for a refill, saving money and helping to save the environment.

Eco Now is the first retail entry in the Cottage Industries project, which repurposes older homes into a development that will – according to plans – include a combination of unique retail stores, restaurants, services and even a boutique motel. It’s been slow to develop due to challenges that included the coronavirus pandemic and other causes. 

This isn’t Thea’s first venture into environmentally friendly retail. She and her husband operate other stores in Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach and Riverside.

When she heard about the Cottage Industries project she liked the location so much, they bought a house close by.

“I like Garden Grove. We live just a block away,” said Thea. “This morning, I was able to go over to SteelCraft to get my coffee in my refillable coffee cup. Then we walked over to the [Village Green] park where the Strawberry Festival is held, came home and then checked out the community garden. It’s a nice, cozy neighborhood. I frequent the library several times a week.”

Their store on Eighth Street is a cozy place, too, the racks filled not only with sustainable goods but also a variety of gift items, including wooden crates decorated with reproductions of advertising labels from the days when much of Garden Grove was blanketed with citrus trees.

For now, Eco Now is open Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. “Right now, its’s kind of limited,” she said. “Hopefully we will be open seven days a week. I truly believe this project will be a success. It will just take a little time.”