Brush Factory offers unique items in Lewes

There’s a little something for everybody at the new Brush Factory on Kings. 

Operating out of an old brush factory on Kings Highway, the mercantile shop features nearly 20 vendors offering a unique mix of items, from vintage furniture and beach-themed decor to homemade candles, local art and clothing. 

“These are people who live, work and play in the area,” said Christine Chura, owner of the Brush Factory. “We think it’s important to give them an avenue to do something.” 

The Brush Factory officially opened June 15 in the former RISE Fitness + Adventure gym, across from the First Baptist Church of Lewes, though passersby dropped in weeks earlier as vendors began setting up. 

“We’re looking for this to be a hub, especially once the season dies down and people are looking for something to do or a place to be,” Chura said. “We want them to be here.”

This isn’t Chura’s first foray into the retail world. In the early 1990s she owned and operated Chelsea and Crew, with a store on Second Street in Lewes and another on First Street in Rehoboth Beach. When looking to open the Brush Factory, she said, she thought about all the things she loved about those stores and sought out people who could offer beautiful and unique things. 

Sharyn Santel, owner of ArtSee Glass, checked all the boxes. A former art therapist for 27 years, Santel said she started her tumbling glass as a retirement project. It evolved into a business where she creates, among other items, memory mirrors, where a loved one brings personal items, such as jewelry, and she artistically incorporates them into the mirror. 

“I decided to take on this trade where I tumble old bottles, old ashtrays, and it’s eco-friendly,” she said. “It’s not beach glass, but it certainly looks like it, and it gives the impression of it.” 

Rolanda Leonardo also offers something unique. Leonardo owns Mulberry Street Candles, which is set to open a brick-and-mortar shop on Third Street in Lewes soon. 

“I beachcomb and I use all the shells and sand from our beaches to make it more part of the Lewes experience,” she said. “I started making them, and it evolved into this little business.”

Her candles are natural, made with slower-burning soy with no toxins and no metal in the wick. 

Many of the vendors at the Brush Factory are multigenerational, with several mother-daughter teams. Chura's two daughters, Shelby and Abby Thomas, are also involved. 

“This a really, really good exercise in how business works,” she said. “It’s also a good way to learn that you have to work hard and follow through with it.”

As if 20 vendors weren’t enough, the Brush Factory has also dedicated indoor space in the back of the building for two pickleball courts. With their own dedicated entrance and parking, pickleball players will soon be able to reserve time on the courts. The only rule, Chura said, is “they have to play nice or go home.” 

The Brush Factory is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily. To learn more about the business, visit them at 830 Kings Highway, Lewes, or like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/brushlewes/. 

“I’m just really blessed,” Chura said. “Not only with my children and my husband, but the community as well has been extremely kind.”