Scrap Exchange: home at last


The Scrap Exchange has finally made its way back home.

Mike Snow and Lindsey Miller, employees of The Scrap Exchange, put finishing touches on decorations.

Mike Snow and Lindsey Miller, employees of The Scrap Exchange, put finishing touches on decorations. (Staff photo by Jasmine Holeman)

“The Scrap,” a nonprofit arts center in Durham, opened for business again on Aug. 16 after moving back to its original location at 2050 Chapel Hill Road.

The property, in the Shoppes at Lakewood, is actually owned by The Scrap and is its permanent home. The store’s previous location was on Franklin Street, in the back of the Golden Belt complex off East Main Street.

“We are still moving, there is a lot of stuff on Franklin Street that we haven’t moved yet,” said Ruth Warren, the store’s marketing promotions manager.

The Scrap Exchange was founded in 1991, and sells material that would usually be thrown away, such as fabric, old trophies, and even paintings.

“This is a celebration of all the different materials we have access to, that we usually throw away that has more life in them that can be used,” Warren said.She started as a volunteer at the store in 2005.

The new location has more space than the previous location on Franklin Street, said Savannah Ford, a cashier at The Scrap Exchange.

“This space is bigger, so much room for our programs and everything,” said Ford, whose great-grandfather was the manager at the old building on Franklin Street.

“The move was kind of melancholic for me, but the pros outweigh the cons,” Ford said.

She said the store’s customers inspire her.

“They love fabric, they love art supplies, and they love antiques,” Ford said. “Very passionate people come here as customers, and they really inspire me.”

The Scrap Exchange will celebrate moving to a new location with a grand opening Oct. 5 from noon until 7 p.m