Story by Lisa Carolin, photos by Randall Lee, RK Studios
Business Name: Chelsea Outfitters
Business address: 105 S. Main Street, Chelsea, MI 48118
Business email, telephone number: ChelseaOutfitters@gmail.com, 734-593-9394
Business hours: 10-5 Tues, Wed, Thurs/ 10-6 Fri, Sat
Business website: ChelseaOutfitters.com
Chelsea Update recently ran a story about the Chelsea Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting welcoming Chelsea Outfitters to the area. The business opened on March 1, 2023.
Megan and Matt Trenary and their family moved to Chelsea in 2012. They prioritize buying from businesses that care about the environment and make long-lasting, functional goods.
“We felt that we were too frequently shopping outside of town and driving to multiple stores for certain sustainable items, which conflicted with the concept of sustainability,” said Matt Trenary. “We love Chelsea, and it was important to us to keep the business local. The business concept was born from our passion for sustainable living and outdoor recreation. We wanted to provide a consolidated resource for earth-friendly everyday items in Chelsea.”
Chelsea Outfitters offers a large variety of products that are both beautiful and functional.
“We want to offer a really relaxed shopping experience where people can feel comfortable asking us questions,” said Matt Trenary. “If you are just considering starting a compost pile or want to ask about how cloth diapering works, we are happy to chat with you. We aren’t ‘judgy’; we are happy to meet people where they are in their own process. Even if you have no interest in coming for the environmental aspect, you will find something you like.”
The Trenary family themselves has been working on a more sustainable lifestyle. Megan Trenary has worked in both health education as a registered nurse and in outdoor retail environments, and plans to add some new outdoor recreational products such as binoculars and sunglasses as well as bar shampoo and conditioner to the store’s inventory this year.
The couple promises that customers will find items they can actually use, such as bulk soap, laundry detergent, all-purpose cleaner, and Castile soap, all made in Michigan, that you can purchase by the ounce with the option of bringing your own container.
They invite people to discover and try Chelsea Outfitters’ “Trenary Toast” and encourage feedback about their store.
“We would like to normalize prioritizing the environment over extreme convenience, like the single use plastics, and show people how easy and affordable it can be to make small changes,” said Matt Trenary.
