Customers are encouraged to bring in their own mug, purchase a reusable travel cup at the café, or take one of the café’s free mugs from the donated “mug library” to enjoy a beverage at the shop or to go.
“It’s been pretty cool to see people come in, all rushed and frantic, in need of their coffee to go, and when we tell them that we don’t have any disposable mugs sometimes they’ll realize that they have five or 10 minutes and they sit down to have their coffee for here,” said Kate Pepler, the shop’s owner, in an interview with CBC. The Tare Shop also offers groceries and non-perishables without extra packaging or plastic bags for purchase.