Along a busy stretch of Central Avenue in the Edge District, the air carries the scent of a European apothecary—the kind you’d find tucked into a side street in Paris—drawing passersby toward Sans Market.
“It smells good,” co-founder Eniko Olah says. “The sensory experience matters. The products, the design, the sense of community—it’s all connected. Sometimes people simply discover us while walking by.”
The name Sans, meaning “without,” reflects the store’s mission of reducing waste, limiting toxins and relying less on single-use plastics.
Sunlight spills across neatly arranged shelves. Glass vessels and natural wood accents frame a space where products are given room to breathe, far removed from the bustle of the street outside.
Blending organic pantry staples, low-waste essentials and a selection of beverages, the store invites customers to slow down and explore. Near the entrance, a narrow seating area offers a place to enjoy Beech Kombucha on tap and other wellness drinks—a brief pause in the rhythm of the day.
Olah built Sans Market from the ground up, beginning with a modest setup at the 2018 St. Pete Yoga Festival. The business quickly gained a loyal following through local markets and pop-up events, leading to the opening of its first brick-and-mortar location in downtown St. Pete in 2019.
With a background in consumer product marketing, Olah was well-versed in the language of convenience and attuned to the excess packaging and unnecessary ingredients found in everyday products. Motherhood brought those concerns closer to home. Raising three children, she saw how deeply plastic had infiltrated daily life and began questioning the long-term cost of that convenience. Rather than accept that reality as inevitable, she envisioned a different kind of market—one where living sustainably felt less like sacrifice and more like second nature.
“We can’t truly look at personal health without looking at our immediate surroundings or at the health of our planet,” Olah explains. “They are inextricably linked. The choices we make for the spaces we inhabit should support a clean body, a clean home and a clean planet.”
Eniko Olah
When choosing a home for Sans Market, Olah says she was drawn to the walkable energy of the neighborhood and its entrepreneurial culture. She points to the Edge District’s small-town feel, where business neighbors actively support one another.
“I felt the vibe here,” she recalls.
Olah credits part of the store’s early growth to The Greenhouse, a city-run center offering education, counseling and assistance to entrepreneurs and small-business owners. Its training and mentorship helped transform her vision for a low-waste market into a popular local business.
Shelves are lined with dry goods, loose teas, coffee beans, spices, herb-infused oils and small-batch nut butters. Fresh bread delivered daily from The Crumb Factory, produce from Life Farms, kimchi and sauerkraut from St. Pete Ferments and honey from Queen & Colony reflect a network of local and regional producers.
The store’s focus on sustainable, thoughtfully sourced products also includes lifestyle goods such as recycled paper journals, organic cotton Turkish beach towels, dried eucalyptus bouquets, artisan-made personal care products, shower steamers and aromatherapy oils.
At the center of the store is the Bulk Bar, where Sans Market’s refill model comes to life. A handwritten sign reads, “Refill, not landfill.” Here, shoppers bring their own containers or choose one from the store to fill with everything from kitchen essentials to body care products and non-toxic cleaning supplies. The ritual is simple: refill what you need, reuse what you have and reconsider the packaging that typically accompanies a purchase.
Handmade soaps from local maker Ives & Bees are among the shop’s customer favorites, including an Oat & Honey bar crafted with natural oils, colloidal oatmeal, honey and goat milk. Desert Fleur, a luxury botanical perfume from St. Pete-founded Bohemian Rêves, blends notes of patchouli, rosewood and vanilla. The “I’d Rather Be in St. Pete!” soy candle by Soy & Sass evokes a sense of place with notes of bergamot, sea salt and driftwood.
A recently added assortment of secondhand clothing, accessories and home decor extends that same ethos. Rather than rows of retail racks, the space is styled like a living room in a corner of the store, giving a second life to a curated assortment of pre-loved items.
“We’re extremely selective about what we carry,” Olah notes. “One of the biggest misconceptions is that living sustainably means giving something up. For us, it’s about quality. We do the research. We vet the ingredients. You shouldn’t have to choose between what’s good for you and what’s good for the planet.”
Regulars arrive carrying reusable jars and canvas totes, while first-time visitors are guided through the refill process by staff members who prioritize education as much as service.
Store manager Vanessa Moore has become a steady presence for longtime shoppers and a trusted resource for newcomers. In more than five years with the market, she’s watched relationships grow well beyond a typical transaction.
“We’re lucky to have a great group of loyal customers,” Moore says. “You get to know people by name—and sometimes even their dogs’ names. We can follow up on how they’re enjoying a product they purchased the last time they were in and help them decide what to try next. One of the best compliments we hear is, ‘This is my favorite store,’ or ‘I tell everyone I know about this store.’”
That welcoming atmosphere extends to the shopping experience. Many assume they have to change everything at once. Sans Market meets people where they are, offering products that let shoppers ease into a low-waste routine.
Olah points to the constant stimulation of daily life, from phone alerts to crowded product labels, as another reason to keep things simple.
“Customers are still learning,” she says. “Where do you begin? Pre-fills are a jump-start.”
“We encourage customers to choose either a room in their house or a habit and start making changes there,” Moore explains. “For example, your shower routine. Start by swapping in more natural, plastic-free alternatives.”
“We like the phrase ‘progress over perfection,’” Moore says. “Even small changes matter.”
Vanessa Moore
More than a place to shop, the store has become a hub for conversation, connection and community. Throughout the year, Sans Market collaborates with local experts on classes and workshops ranging from cooking and composting to environmental advocacy and DIY low-waste living. Clothing swaps and the store’s annual Earth Day cleanup give customers other opportunities to get involved.
“At Sans Market, we not only sell items to help customers achieve their eco-friendly goals, but we aim to educate the community as well,” Moore says. “This is a fun way for us to further connect with customers and our community to share valuable eco-tips and tricks.”
Some customers arrive through what Olah calls “happy accidents”—wandering in without planning to stop. “We’ll never make an impact by preaching to the converted,” she says. “We want to make this way of living more mainstream and engage people of all ages, backgrounds and levels of experience.”
Visit sans.market to learn more about the flagship store and Safety Harbor pop-up shop.
