Exploring Durham’s Scrap Exchange
28 Jul
A place worth checking out in Durham is the Scrap Exchange. It’s a nonprofit that sells the most random stuff that factories and businesses probably would have thrown away. Instead of going to the landfill, Scrap Exchange volunteers pick up the eclectic materials and take them to the the nonprofit’s 13,000-square-foot warehouse in downtown Durham.
If you have a penchant for exploring, it’s easy to spend hours in there on your first trip. Blue barrels line the front of the store and are filled with everything from puzzle pieces to leftover lapel pins. There’s also an art gallery that always features unique pieces. The latest exhibit is the $20 art show, where everything in the gallery is for sale for $20.
At NBC17, our reporters have been exploring ways to save money, something we’re all trying to do a little bit more of given the increase in gas and food prices. I told our news director how rad the Scrap Exchange is, so he sent me there with a photographer, who helped me put together my first-ever package for TV. I also took my own camera and produced a story for Durham.MyNC.com, a community news site that our station also produces. Here’s the resulting video or you can read the full story here.
I’ve asked some of you this before, but what are some of your favorite places in Durham (or around the Triangle for that matter) where you can spend a lot of time without spending a lot of money? Who knows, maybe I’ll have a chance to feature it.
Can you change your RSS feed to full text, please? It would be much better. Thanks.
Lalitree and I go there all the time. Gotten some great stuff, including old photographic equipment. It’s a little different on every trip, and honestly, it’s a great place to TAKE pictures, because there are so many cool oddities.
I can spend a lot of time in our Goodwill. Last time I went, they had just received the remains of an estate of someone with really good taste! When I go to drop off things, I have to promise my family I won’t go in. Promise. Not even a teeny peek.
Ugh, “remains” was a bad choice of words. Sorry.
Scrap exchange is awesome! Everyone should support this place. And have some fun with it. My cousin used to work there. Congrats on your “Airtime” for the story!
We used to have our birthday parties there when we were little. It’s a great unique party idea for kids.
@Valerie, I’m the exact same way with the Goodwill, Salvation Army and any other random thrift shop. I completely can get sucked in.
@Rab and Mary I used to love going to the Scrap Exchange when I lived in Durham. I’d always be all ambitious and buy stuff to make projects with, but only sometimes actually followed through. It would be an awesome place for a child’s birthday for sure.
I love the Ann Mays new bangs! How great you look. The scrap looks terrific, hope to visit and make projects soon! Jen from Buffalo
I’m proud to say that I knew her before she was famous. Hope to swing through next year and visit the scrap exchange in person. Mike from Buffalo/Denver.
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