Taste Of Durham Festival - Durham, North Carolina


Home Taste of Life Arts & Entertainment Good News Interviews & Profiles

		Essentials Festivities Performances Participants
		Good News		Sponsors & Partners

Good News
Positive and uplifting information, highlight charities and good works, etc.

Recent Stories

Creative Collaborations to Enrich Community

The Cycle of Giving: Social Enterprenualism At Its Best

Get the scoop on SWOOP!

Double your creativity

How to build a community

Broken Wings Can Be Mended

Durham Scholars Program

Double Your Creativity
The Scrap Exchange in Downtown Durham Doubles Its Retail Space
By Ann Woodward, Executive Director

The Scrap Exchange

The Scrap Exchange, a nonprofit organization that promotes materials reuse through arts, environmental education, and community building, is expanding its operations to include an additional 3,000 square feet of retail space. A high volume of materials stored in its warehouse along with increasing consumer demand and increased collections from local business and industry are resulting in a move to double the amount of store space devoted to retail sales. "We just have so many great materials that people haven't seen," said executive director Ann Woodward. "We really want to keep materials moving and get things back into circulation. Letting people see what we have available -- is the best way to do that."

The nonprofit, established in 1991, The Scrap Exchange is the only reuse center in North Carolina devoted to collecting industrial discards for creative reuse. In addition to its retail store, the center houses a workshop and birthday party room, an art gallery, office space, and additional warehouse space. The Scrap Exchange's operations also include a hands-on traveling arts program that participates in more than 188 fairs, festivals, and workshops across the Southeast each year. Among the events attended in 2004 were Merlefest in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, Kingsport Fun Fest in Kingsport, Tennessee, and the Jubilee Cityfest in Montgomery, Alabama. Locally, The Scrap Exchange's blue barrels are a fixture at events including Bimbe, Centerfest, and Durham's Earth Day celebration.

A previously cluttered warehouse has been transformed over the past three weeks into an open and inviting store with the help of volunteers and staff. Volunteers have come from all parts of the community, with special help from the Volunteer Center of Durham, UNC's Apple Program, the Duke School for Children, Emerson High School, and community service volunteers.

The new and expanded retail space will offer a wide range of materials including paper, wood, paint, hardware, lawn and garden items, foam, computers, science and laboratory glassware and equipment, and a post-consumer products gift area. For The Scrap Exchange's operations, the additional retail space will mean less processing of incoming materials and a greater variety of materials available to the public.

TSE's reuse center includes a retail store, birthday party and workshop room (offering Afternoon Arts throughout the year Mon- Fri 3:00-4:30) , TSE's own art gallery, warehouse and office. The store offers materials at 50-75% off retail value . You can also get a glimpse of the changing industrial landscape of the region. Store hours are M-F 11-5, Thurs. 11-6, and Sat. 10-5. We are located at 548 Foster Street, in Downtown Durham, NC. 919-688-6960, www.scrapexchange.org.