Startup, sustainable online retailer and member of the Steelcase community of brands in Canada, Goodee finally moved into their new offices after a pandemic delay. The wait forced them to work virtually far longer than they wanted. Founded in 2019, the Black-owned, B-Corp* certified e-commerce platform was beginning to gain momentum when the pandemic hit. “As a young startup, the inability to work together was extremely challenging for us,” says owner and designer Byron Peart, who co-founded Goodee with twin brother and designer Dexter Peart.

“You can’t do good work, you can’t be your fullest self if you don’t feel like you belong and are part of something,” explains Peart. “Where you work is a reflection of your company and it’s where people can feel a sense of belonging. We designed our new office to reflect our culture and values and help people feel connected to the company and to each other. When you walk in, you see who we are, what we do, and how we work. We don’t think of it as just an office, we naturally think of it as our home, as well.”

Inspiring people to slow down

The Goodee philosophy of “less, but better” is grounded in the belief that simplicity and intentionality can lead to a kinder, smarter and more beautiful world. They responsibly source a wide variety of home and work essentials from partners whose values align with their own. A small sample of their unique offering includes:

Original handcrafted hanging lamps by PET Lamp created by Colombian artisans from plastic bottles; pillows designed by Byron and Dexter, made by artisan weavers and makers in Burkina Faso and Kenya, and produced in collaboration with the Ethical Fashion Initiative; and children’s furniture by ecoBirdy made with recycled plastic from discarded children’s toys.

“Goodee was started with the aspiration of building a conscious brand that celebrates excellent craftsmanship and the people and stories behind every item we sell.”

“Through mindfully curating our collections, we want to inspire people to slow down and question how each item they bring into their home or work environment can add value to their lives through its function and aesthetics.”

Byron PeartGoodee Co-Founder

Connecting place with purpose

The company’s dedication to preserving traditional crafts and bringing soul into people’s lives is celebrated throughout the space. The office is filled with many of the products Goodee curates, helping to keep the people and communities behind its products top of mind to its employees, brand partners and suppliers. “By surrounding ourselves with our own products we are continually reminding our community of our purpose,” explains Peart.

Designed to inspire and energize people, the Goodee work environment offers a diverse range of spaces for both individual and team work that gives people choices for how they want to work. A beautiful open cafe-like space with a long communal table serves many functions: staff meetings, lunches, events and individual work. Access to lots of natural light, views of the water and biophilic elements create a comfortable and welcoming vibe.

Its purpose is also reflected by their choice of location — a restored wool-spinning factory in Montreal’s historic Complexe Dompark building which is managed by a B Corp certified company. “This building is driven by the same values of who we are and there is the added advantage that we get to work alongside other B Corps,” says Peart. “I can’t tell you how valuable and inspiring it is for us to come here everyday and be surrounded by this community of like-minded people.”

*Certified B Corporations are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. As of August 2023, there were 7,351 certified B Corporations across 161 industries in 92 countries.