Lee alumna establishes refill store in the Chattanooga community
Photos courtesy of Beka Gouger
During Christmas vacation in Asheville, North Carolina, Lee alumna Beka Gouger came across a refill store which inspired her to further pursue sustainability within the Chattanooga area.
Gouger graduated from Lee in 2016 with a degree in intercultural studies with an emphasis in teaching English as a second language. She is currently employed at the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga and owns a handful of small businesses. Gouger said her mission is to develop a more sustainable way of life which reaches beyond the Chattanooga area.
Dr. Rolando Cuellar, an associate professor of intercultural studies, taught Gouger during her time at Lee.
“She’s just an excellent student,” said Cuellar. “Her work ethic was excellent. She performed very well in the classroom and outside the classroom. She served in the community working with Y-Camp for children with dysfunctional home lives. In class, she spoke out and never hesitated to express what she was thinking. She loved others well and she loved God in a noticeable way.”
During Gouger’s time at Lee, she and her husband were required by the intercultural studies program to spend ten weeks overseas. During their time in South Africa, Mozambique and Eswatini, Gouger said they grew significantly while serving. The Gougers’ time overseas sparked their desire to pursue sustainable living in the States.
Gouger started her first business, Ivory and Oak, in 2018.
“Ivory and Oak started as a small side hustle, and although it’s been hard to learn the ins and outs of small business ownership, I have grown so much,” said Gouger. “I believe my experience with Ivory and Oak has enabled me to know I am capable of doing anything I set my mind to.”
In November of 2021, Gouger’s newest business, Red Bank Refill, was launched. Red Bank Refill is an eco-conscious, sustainable refill store based within the nonprofit grocery store Chattanooga Food Center. Gouger hosts pop-ups once a month and provides various pick-up options when she is out of the shop.
“There’s really this community around the world of refillers,” said Gouger. “We want our growth to come from other people proactively contributing to the health of their community. It’s not about growth or gatekeeping this mission, it’s about encouraging people to care for their community through living more sustainably. I desire to own a store front one day, but I also desire to give people with a heart for this a community of small businesses.”
Liz Bounds discovered Redbank Refill through Instagram. Bounds owns a small business, Other
Milk Company, which is a locally based alternative milk company. Bounds offers subscriptions in the Chattanooga Market and provides other pick-up options. Gouger’s mission inspired Bounds to start her own business, as both companies share the goal of offering locally sourced alternatives.
“Beka is a doer,” said Bounds. “It has inspired me as a small business owner to be courageous. I really love her tenacity and just her ambition to start something. I am really inspired by her energy. I love that it’s a female-owned business, and I love that it’s in a local space that she has to tie back to her community.”
Gouger encourages students with entrepreneurial desires to pursue their calling. Additionally, Gouger hopes to show support and provide opportunities for women who want to start a small business.
“Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you,” said Gouger. “Be open to ideas and collaborating with others. Sharing space with people who have skills you do not have is supporting a community of people well. Women are capable of anything they set their mind to, and choosing to have organic conversations with other women is the way growth can happen in the world of female-owned small businesses.”
Gouger is continuing to grow her businesses in Chattanooga and plans to expand offerings into the Cleveland area.
For more information on Gouger’s business, visit redbankrefill.com.
