Founded in 1978, Real Goods is the original purveyor of off-the-grid living supplies. Originally envisioned as a one-stop-shop where people could find everything they needed for their remote homesteads, the store began with the sale of the first retail solar panel in the United States and the humble goal of changing the world.

The Real Goods Store has returned to its roots in Mendocino County, proudly housed in the world's largest straw bale showroom. The amazing 5,000 square foot space is passively cooled and heated, demonstrating the most effective techniques in sustainable design. The store sits at the center of the 12-acre Solar Living Center (SLC), a brilliant green oasis alongside Highway 101 that's been voted the #1 rest stop in California. To learn more about Real Goods or to see how lush and rewarding a sustainable life can truly be, come visit us as the SLC - there's lots to do!

Real Goods is the original source for off-grid living supplies. Our store began in Northern California in 1978 with the sale of the very first retail solar panel in the United States and the goal of educating people on how to live off the grid – or on it – sustainably and without sacrificing the comforts and amenities they enjoy.

We offer off-grid solar panels and solutions to keep the lights on, homesteading supplies to keep you healthy and happy, and all the must-have survival gear for emergency preparedness. But Real Goods provides more than just the goods. We also provide the knowledge, skills, training, and resources for confident and satisfying off-grid living. Our motto is "Knowledge is our most important product."

Everything You Need for Off-Grid Living

Our founder, John Schaeffer, wrote the book on off-grid living: the Solar Living Sourcebook – also known as “the Bible for all things solar and sustainable” (Ed Begley, Jr.). With over 600,000 copies in print worldwide, the Sourcebook is the definitive resource in the fields of sustainability, environmental design, and living off the grid.

For the hands-on learner, John also created the 12-acre Solar Living Center – a living demonstration of the sustainability and off-grid living practices found in the Solar Living Sourcebook. The SLC is a permaculture oasis located in Hopland, California along historic Highway 101, and is open to the public year-round. It’s also where you’ll find the nonprofit Solar Living Institute (which offers classes in all things off the grid) and the famous straw bale Real Goods Store! The Solar Living Center is one of Northern California's top tourist destinations, hosting over 150,000 visitors every year.