If you walk along Center Street in Old Town Manassas, you might pass an 180-year-old brick building with a sign that says, “Fillagreen - your local refillery.” Inside, you will find various soap pumps, lotions and attractive beauty-care items.
It is not a novelty shop, but a business founded on the principles of sustainability.
Fillagreen sells and refills home and personal eco-friendly products such as dish soap, shampoo and laundry detergent. It fills orders the old-fashioned way, the way it was done when the building was built.
Rather than continuing to purchase the same products in non-biodegradable plastic bottles, residents can now buy them from an independently owned business that refills jars and bottles (theirs or yours) with their select eco-friendly items.
It is better for the environment, hence the name Fillagreen.
Fillagreen was founded by a Bristow couple, John and Beverly Hicks. They met in 2007 when Beverly was a teacher in Fairfax County, and John, who grew up in Fredericksburg, worked as a sales manager. They were married in October 2009.
In 2022, John was at the crossroads. He had left his job as an account executive for a major corporation to take care of his ailing father. After his father passed, John wanted to stay close to home for his elementary-age twin boys. He contemplated starting his own business.
Beverly suggested a local refillery. “Refilleries are a very common way to buy things in Europe,” she said. “It’s normal to refill containers you have had forever.”
And John had found through his research that businesses based upon sustainability often make sustainable businesses. Most people prefer eco-friendly products; however, they often come with higher prices, and people are wary of unfamiliar brands.
“We built Fillagreen to eliminate those obstacles,” he said. “We are curating a collection of products that our customers can be confident meet the standards of being a great product, being value comparable and being truly sustainable.”
It felt good knowing he was helping the environment with each new customer.
“By making small swaps in their everyday lifestyle and buying habits,” John said, “we can make a huge impact on the amount of plastic being used every day, which in turn will help protect our environment.”
John and Beverly launched the business in September 2022. They began by selling and refilling products at the Manassas Farmers Market and filling online orders with the help of friends and neighbors.
John has been focused on the business full time since it began, while his wife helps with creative and administrative tasks while also working full time for the American Registry for Internet Numbers.
They opened the Manassas store in 2023. “The Center Street location kind of came to us by luck,” John said. “We immediately saw the potential, the location benefits.”
The downtown location is ideal for window shoppers who are attracted to Fillagreen’s decorative soaps and shower steamers, which utilize little to no packaging, contain natural ingredients and are produced locally.
“I am always finding something new to use at home or to give as a gift,” said Cher Muzyc of Nokesville “It is also just fun to browse around the store and smell the smells and see what's new.”
While the store attracts customers, subscription delivery is the cornerstone of Fillagreen’s business model. For a flat fee, customers can order online and leave their containers on their doorstep to be refilled and returned the next day.
“Convenience culture is something we can help with,” John said. “Although it is fun to shop in the store, we meet customers where they are.”
For potential customers, Beverly suggests starting with two or three swaps. She recommends using a dryer ball in place of fabric softener. John recommends Swedish dish cloths to cut down on the use of paper towels.
Many people choose Rustic Strength laundry detergent and Dip shampoo and conditioner bars are also very popular.
Kate Danziger of Bristow has been a customer from the beginning. She values a sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyle.
“I love Fillagreen’s curated home and personal care essentials,” Danziger said. “It feels good to refill my existing containers with quality products. Hand soaps, dish soaps and dishwasher pods are among my favorites. I give gift cards to friends and family to inspire simple waste-reducing lifestyle changes.”
There are only nine refilleries in Virginia, and the Hicks own two of them. They opened a second Fillagreen location in Fredericksburg in 2024.
They have also begun selling to businesses, including Honey and Ivy bake shop in Old Town Manassas and University of Mary Washington’s alumni building.
“Going after businesses makes a greater impact,” John said.
The couple’s twin boys, Logan and Tyler, who attend Marsteller Middle School, help with social media, and their parents pay them an hourly wage to help at the store when they are available.
The Hicks also support environmentally-based organizations like Keep Prince William Beautiful through organizing clean-ups and donating store products.
Fillagreen even inspired Kelly Auldridge of Manassas to open a donation-based arts and craft supplies store, Dabble Creative Reuse Center. “On a personal level, Fillagreen has opened my eyes to a different way of operating, reducing waste in my household and better supporting local and sustainable brands,” Auldridge said. “They also exposed me to the concept of creative reuse, which has been a beautiful thing for me and our community.”
March marked the third anniversary of the opening of Fillagreen’s Manassas store. The Hicks are happy the business is thriving, but even more so that it is making a difference environmentally.
“You can do so much good for our community by shopping small,” John said, “and by making easy choices every day.”
Heather Stietzel of Bristow has a B.A. in journalism. She is the director of membership sales for the Prince William Chamber of Commerce.
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