Precycle Grocery
A Brooklyn-based Latvian grocery store owner keeps busy during the pandemic while staying true to the store's zero waste mission.
Katerina Bogatireva is the founder and owner of Precycle.
THE RESILIENCE SERIES | 5 FEB 2021
By: Daniella Decker
Illustration by Angelica Reisch
Many small businesses made adjustments to the way they conduct their businesses — or have shifted their approaches entirely. In the face of a truly catastrophic financial environment, small businesses have used their creativity to spur them forward as entrepreneurs and adapt to a business environment no one could have predicted.
Entrepreneurs and small business owners have done these things under the stress of laying off employees, shutting down brick and mortar shops, or having to give up on their dream entirely.
For a small grocery store in Brooklyn, this was never an option.
Precycle is the first small zero waste grocery store in New York City.
Opening in late 2018, the grocery store grew from one to nine employees within a year. Post pandemic, Precycle had to pivot and adapt to new ways to serve the New York customers. The grocery store now offers contactless pick-up and delivery. All online orders can be picked up 10:30 am - 7pm in front of their store. But, adapting to the online solution comes at a cost- both financially and emotionally.
“In March 2020, we had to close the store to the public and switch to being completely online. As a very new small business, we had to create an online shopping platform within days. The most difficult part was not being able to interact or connect with our customers,” said store owner, Katerina Bogatireva.
Bogatireva grew up in Riga, Latvia in the era of Soviet Union and has witnessed empty grocery store shelves first hand. During the pandemic, Bogatireva was reminded of her childhood where food and other “necessities” were not taken for granted.
Despite the many unexpected changes and regulations, Bogatireva continues to stay true to Precycle's zero waste mission as the pandemic rages on. She hopes Precycle’s zero waste approach will have a meaningful impact across the globe.
“New Yorkers can reduce the obscene amount of waste in New York by shopping at Precycle for daily essentials,” said Bogatireva. The store uses recycled (compostable) paper bags for dry goods and glass bottles for liquids.
Precyle delivers to addresses in a 5 mile radius of the store located . Deliveries are coordinated by Doordash. There is a $50 order minimum.
ABOUT KATERINA BOGATIREVA
Katerina grew up in Riga, Latvia in the era of Soviet Union. She has seen first hand the empty store shelves. Values of not wasting food and getting most use of resources were instilled in her from an early age. As a young child she remembers bringing her jar to the market to fill it with sour cream. Plastic bags were rare and were admired.
PRECYCLE GROCERY
Brooklyn📍
Zero-Waste Grocery 🌱
Katerina Bogatireva 👤
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