Wendy Buhr, owner of Ella’s vintage clothing shop on Front Street in downtown Traverse City, has made a living implementing smart, ecological business decisions. A lover of fashion and an active collector of the antique, Buhr opened Ella’s 12 years ago to support her habit.
“Ella’s started as a vintage store and evolved into a high-end boutique that seeks out designers whom are inspired by vintage and have their designs made with integrity,” said Buhr.
From its creation, Buhr has worked to make Ella’s as eco-friendly as possible, beginning with recycling almost everything and utilizing the Bay Area Recycling Center (BARC). With the implementation of green cleaning products, recyclable packaging and a new addition of composting coming soon, Ella’s makes every effort to lessen their impact on the environment.
In her latest eco-savvy move, Buhr installed Pure Energy LED lighting in her shop, embracing the new technology for its financial and environmental benefits.
“Switching over to LED lighting has helped us use only a third of our prior energy consumption.” said Buhr, “Comparing January 1 through February 28 this year to last year, our electric expense is down by 36.9%.”
After finding herself throwing away so many light bulbs that were unable to be recycled, Buhr began researching lighting options that would emulate the output of a halogen bulb while saving her money, energy and the hassle of constantly changing fried bulbs. The addition of LED bulbs met all of her criteria.
“The initial investment was big, but knowing that we won’t have to buy a light bulb for 11 years, and the fact that our electric bill dropped so dramatically, it was not a problem,” said Buhr.
Buhr also utilized the Traverse City Light & Power Energy Smart Rebate Program, a fast and easy incentive that made the switch a “no-brainer” for the shop.
On your next stroll of downtown Traverse City be sure to stop by Ella’s at 209 E Front St. to see the LEDs in action, and remember that vintage shopping is just another way to recycle! Call or stop by Eco-Building Products to find out how your home or business can join the movement and benefit from LED lighting as well.
