Alma Del Mar & Wahine HQ - Monterey, California

Brianna Ruezga

I wanted to reach out to the woman I met, Dion, but I can't find contact information and the website is currently not available. My apologies if I am misspelling your name! I just want to say thank you. I was in the shop Sunday with my friend and we bought some soap made with olive oil, which has been phenomenal! I also had glass bottles at home that had cheap nozzles and were no longer usable, making cleaning such a pain. Dion had some heavy duty nozzles and allowed me to remove them from their respective bottles and purchase them alone. Not only do they fit my bottles here at home, but the quality is amazing! They are so much more durable and I know they will last me much longer than the nozzles I have been dealing with... Which is the whole point of sustainability, eh?

Anywho, thank you again, Dion! You are so kind and your shop is so lovely. I can't wait to be back in Monterey and pay a visit. Cheers!

Diana L Guerrero (TheArkLady)

Alma Del Mar is an eco-friendly home goods store but locals call it the "Wahine Project Store" since it is the headquarters for The Wahine Project.

I have been green a long while but am always working to move away from toxins and plastics that end up in the ocean. This was an exciting addition to the Monterey Bay peninsula.

It is always good to have your own reusable items to refill with body wash, shampoo and conditioner. You will also find shampoo bars, conditioner bars, window cleaning solutions and lots more.

Alma Del Mar has refillable bottles onsite available for purchase if you do not have one. Many also come with pumps.

TIP: Be sure to ask for your Refill Loyalty Card. If you are not a local, you can ask to gift it forward or pass it on to someone you know in the area--might be a good way to help them make one more small change to keep waste out of the ocean.

I appreciate the unscented items but there is the option to select and add an essential oil scent of your choice. Sara was amazingly helpful and welcoming. She helped me navigate through the process and I look forward to making more of my personal care and cleaning products there.

If you are not familiar with the efforts, The Wahine Project and Alma Del Mar work to reach young girls who would otherwise not have access to the resources that would allow them to experience the ocean. Today the combined efforts have expanded from surfing to other ocean activities.

I met Dionne Ybarra (Founder of the Wahine Project) at the Blue Mind Conference in 2016. Since that time I have watched her project grow and impact hundreds of women of all ages.

In November 2020, she established the shop which serves as the HQ for The Wahine Project and is also the hub for their ocean experiences, workshops, as well as the physical location to share brands they love.

Located in Sand City, adjacent to Seaside, the Alma Del Mar store focuses on sales of earth friendly goods in efforts to reduce waste on the Monterey Peninsula.

Residents know it simply as the "West End Refill Shop" since it is where you can find eco-friendly house cleaning solutions and personal care times, along with ocean sports equipment, clothing, and many other goods.

NOTE: The main entrance is on Catalina not Shasta. Entry is just around the corner, look for the large, blue-striped, roll up door. The small sign is above the customer entrance.

Jessica Connally

This is such a great shop to purchase more sustainable products for your home and personal care items! I like to take my kids in and have them help me refill our bottles. There is also a great selection of locally made items and surf gear as well!