Greenfeet closes shop

The website, launched by Chico’s Valerie and Rob Reddemann in 1997, sold environmentally conscious household products ranging from composters to natural bedding and reusable food-storage containers. Greenfeet began as a retail store in the Longfellow area and grew into a globally competitive website, earning Valerie recognition from the Chico Chamber of Commerce as 2008’s Entrepreneur of the Year. The Reddemanns made the difficult decision to close the business after evaluating market trends and projections, ultimately concluding they could not compete with “cheap knockoffs” offered at lower prices.

“It’s heartbreaking and the competitor inside of me doesn’t like it a single solitary bit—it didn’t end the way I wrote the script,” Valerie, who also serves on Chico’s Sustainability Task Force, wrote on her Facebook wall. “The logical side understands that things change and it’s time to move on. Rob and I thank all of you for your love, support and encouragement.”