TOZA, a soap store, apothecary and refillery, is closing.
Owner Kira Meador announced the closing on social media today in a statement, which read:
“It’s with a heavy heart that I write this to you all, but we are closing TOZA. I’ve tried everything I could think of in the last three months to save her and I just cant make it work. There are lots of fine details that go into this kind of decision making, but I wanted to tell y’all some of the story…
“Running a small business has left me the poorest I have ever been. Our family has been just scraping by for a year and a half with help from my parents and I just cannot, responsibly, allow my family to go on that way any longer. We’ve run ourselves ragged and been physically ill as a result. It’s time to slow down. Being actively anti-capitalist, business ownership never really felt good to me anyway.
“We are riding our third covid wave since opening last year. Masks, no masks, community push back, staffing shortages, the list of issues we have faced because of Covid is utterly unquantifiable. If you love a small business, they ARE struggling. Don’t choose your convenience buy at target over the extra stop at a local spot on your way home or you’ll lose them. Shop small at every opportunity.
“The main reason for my decision, I did not take it lightly. In March of this year I lost my little sister. She was just 29 and left behind three amazing kids. My parents need my help with them. I cannot run my shop and take care of my families needs in tandem, so I had to make a choice. I chose my family and that’s all there is to it. Id make that choice any day, and today is that day.
“I want to say thank you to everyone who helped me, supported me, showed up for me, and loves me still despite this disappointment, but I don’t have mixed feelings about putting my family first.”
TOZA originally opened in its Barret Avenue location in May 2021. Before that, it had been a tenant in Logan Street Market until the early pandemic forced it to turn virtual, but the business expanded in February of this year with the addition of a self-serve tea room and bookstore.
Meador had also shared a post on June 6 about the difficulties of keeping TOZA running. In the post, Meador said that she was struggling to keep it open, and added, “I am tired, depressed, and more stressed than ever, and having to come to terms with the fact that my heart is not in this work anymore, it’s with family, my son, and my nephews who need me right now. I know how important TOZA has become to so many of you and I want to give it my best effort for those of you who have supported me the most.”
Meador said TOZA will sell off all of its inventory over the next few weeks. The store, located at 976 Barret Ave., will be open this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and all inventory except for consignment items will be 30% off. Meador is currently working on filling all pre-existing orders.
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