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Going Green!

Ecostore USA dedicates new headquarters in Auburn Hills.

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Lyne Appel Downing of Birmingham cuts the ribbon at Ecostore USA's new Auburn Hills headquarters.

A

health conscious mom's quest to find natural, chemical-free products for
her home has blossomed into a new green business venture for three Jewish
partners. Lyne Appel Downing of Birmingham, a former personal trainer and
yoga instructor, teamed up with entrepreneurs Charles Kaye and
Sheldon Yellen, both of West Bloomfield, to launch Ecostore USA.
The company, originally founded in New Zealand, makes a line
of 33 plant and mineral-based cleaning, personal care and baby
products with the slogan, "No Nasty Chemicals" on the label.
"Listen, go under your sink and check the products you're
using in your kitchen or in your bathroom:' said Downing,
Ecostore USA's vice president. "If it says caution or hazard or
poison, isn't that a red flag? Our products do not contain petro-
chemicals, phosphates, nitrates, dyes or chemical preservatives:'
Downing first discovered the company several years ago while
searching online for green, earth-friendly products when her
daughter, Kasey, was a baby. She approached Kaye and Yellen and

State Sen. John Papageorge of Troy, Bryce Sandler of
Royal Oak and Joel Jacob of West Bloomfield

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August 12 • 2010

they worked out a deal to bring Ecostore to the United States. Now, the complete line of
products, including laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, hand soap, body wash and
baby lotion, is being formulated and manufactured at a new 37,000-square-foot facility
in Auburn Hills. Ecostore USA spent about $2.5 million renovating the facility, which
was acquired from the blending and packaging company Greenblendz. About 400 people
attended an official ribbon cutting ceremony Aug. 3. The company hopes to add 50 new
jobs in the next 3-5 years.
"We all grew up here and we want to keep jobs here Downing explained. "We want to
bring economic vitality back to Michigan."
Spotted in the ribbon cutting crowd were: Keith Downing, and Pam and Tim
Sarkesian, all of Birmingham; Iris Yellen, Helen Kaye, Dr. Michael Goldstein and Jenny
Goldstein, all of West Bloomfield.

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Ecostore USA's products are currently available at all Mejier stores, Duane
Reade stores in New York and online at www.ecostoreusa.com .

Irene Spanos of the Michigan Economic Development

Corporation, Oakland County Executive L. Brooks
Patterson, Charles Kaye of West Bloomfield and Kristin
Mazura with the MEDC

Ecostore USA products on assembly line