A love letter to Salina (and our future)

Imagine Salina, Kansas as a community where every household can make a meaningful impact on their health and the environment with every purchase they make. A place where sustainability isn’t just a buzzword, but a way of life—woven into the everyday routines of doing laundry, washing dishes, and caring for our homes.

That’s the vision behind The Refillery.

My name is Morgan Baughman, and at this time of writing this, I am turning 30 this fall. I’m a Salina native—born here, raised here, and proudly returned. I graduated from Salina High School South, earned my associate degree in Manhattan, Kansas, and like many people, left town for a while to learn more about the world and myself.

The seed for The Refillery was planted years ago, during a summer internship in the National Parks while I was in college. I spent that summer just outside Asheville, North Carolina, working along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Intern money was tight and we only travel down the mountain into town once per week; but there was a refill store downtown where we could buy only what we needed—no waste, no excess, no pressure. That was my first real practice after exposure to zero-waste living, and it stuck with me.

After college, my career took me into healthcare as an administrative and marketing assistant, and eventually into a marketing manager role in the dentistry field. In 2020, my family and I moved to Kansas City, where I stayed home with our three children. With babies who had sensitive skin, that season of diapers and routines heightened my awareness of the products we used in our home and on our bodies, shaping my education and commitment to more intentional, product-conscious choices. We relied heavily on a neighborhood soap refill store.

I was drawn in by the concept, yes—but even more by how it made me feel.

The space was calm. Spa-like. Grounding. As a young mom of three, it gave me something I desperately needed, even if I was just popping in for dish soap or laundry detergent. I came for soap, but it gave me more than that. It gave me a moment of intention in the middle of chaos.

When we made the decision to move back home to Salina, I re-entered the workforce full-time. Most recently, I had the opportunity to launch and run a coffee shop from the ground up. That experience gave me additional hands-on startup experience, and it affirmed something I’ve known for a long time: at my core, I’ve always wanted to build something of my own.

Since returning to Salina, I’ve been working steadily on the plans for The Refillery. I attended Project Open business classes back in 2019, sought out refill store masterminds, and worked with both a refill store business mentor and a Small Business Development Center mentor at WSU. This hasn’t been a whim—it’s been a calling that’s grown clearer with time. I won first place in the 2024 Charlie Walker Pitch Challenge and used all of the proceeds towards launching my business into the new Salina Downtown Farm & Art Market.

So what is The Refillery?

At its heart, The Refillery is a soap refill and sustainable home goods store designed to eliminate single-use plastic from everyday household products. We offer non-toxic, eco-friendly, refillable options for cleaning, laundry, bath, and personal care—things you already use, just without the waste.

The concept is simple:

Bring your own bottle (or purchase one of ours).

Fill what you need.

Weigh and pay.

But our mission goes deeper than the products on our shelves. The Refillery exists to make sustainable living easy, affordable, and accessible—not exclusive or intimidating. We believe sustainability shouldn’t be reserved for the privileged few. It should be available to anyone who cares about their health, their home, and the planet we share.

So why now? And why Salina?

Because I believe every community has the potential to lead. And I believe Salina is ready.

We’re already doing more than recycling. We’re asking bigger questions about policy, community health, local economy, and environmental responsibility. The Refillery aims to be a tangible, practical solution—one that grows alongside our city and complements the incredible small businesses and markets in our downtown core.

Our vision extends beyond selling soap. We dream of hosting small workshops, pop-ups, and educational moments that empower people with knowledge, not guilt. We want to help build a more circular economy in Salina—one refill, one habit shift, one conversation at a time.

The Refillery isn’t just another store. It’s a movement. A community space. A reminder that the choices we make every day matter—and that together, small changes add up to lasting impact.

We invite you to join us on this journey toward a more sustainable Salina. One refill at a time.