Business

Fillagreen, a new shop in downtown Fredericksburg, is set to offer refills on household and bathroom supplies, with a mission to reduce plastic waste. Owners John and Beverly Hicks were inspired to start Fillagreen by their 11-year-old twins, who had been learning about environmental issues and pollution. “We saw an opportunity to make a difference in the world while also teaching our children about the hard work that goes into running a small business,” said Beverly.

The Hicks first test-marketed their concept at the Manassas Farmer’s Market before opening their first brick-and-mortar location at 9029 Center St. in Manassas. They noticed a substantial gap in refillable product locations along the I-95 corridor between Manassas and Richmond and felt Fredericksburg was an ideal place to bridge that gap. John, who helped found the University of Mary Washington’s Mother’s Rugby team and remains active in its foundation, said that moving into downtown Fredericksburg was made easier through their partnership with Main Street America. Both Manassas and Fredericksburg are part of the Main Street program, which focuses on revitalizing historic downtowns and neighborhoods nationwide.