Newly expanded Brush Factory on Kings reopens

The Brush Factory on Kings is back and open to the public, and has added six new merchants to its lineup.

Co-owner Christine Chura said, “All of our new arrivals have strong roots in our local community. We are delighted to build on our tradition of providing a collective for local merchants and artists to thrive.”

She also announced that the Brush Factory Marketplace featuring Rays Produce will be back in full operation every Friday to Sunday.

The popular retail destination has now expanded to more than 60 merchants and artists at its 830 Kings Highway location.

As a part of this expansion, Antique and Artisan Gallery of Stamford, Conn., a 1stdibs.com top seller with local connections, is among the newcomers. An internet phenomenon billed as a global marketplace, 1st Dibs features the collections of top antique and vintage galleries and dealers from across the country. Chura said she feels the move to the Brush Factory marks a welcome reversal of recent retail internet trends and a small victory for the world of brick-and-mortar stores.

The new enterprise teams Antique and Artisan Gallery with longtime Lewes locals Mike McShane and Lyndee DeMeo of Garage Sale Antiques. Bruce Wylie and Mari Ann Mahar of Antique and Artisan Gallery are excited about their new move. “As a top five dealer on 1stdibs, we’ve had the opportunity to dramatically broaden our outreach and audience nationwide. Sometimes, however, nothing can beat actually seeing and touching a piece. When our longtime friends at Garage Antiques mentioned opening back in their hometown, we thought it was a perfect opportunity to join forces and bring our collections into the Brush Factory,” said Mahar.

Another new arrival to the Brush Factory is Chicken Point Studios. Lori Yarbrough is delighted to bring her unique collection of vintage and rustic signs, wildlife sculptures and nautical finds to the Brush Factory. Her real passion is sea glass, as seen by the many handcrafted creations as well as how-to magazines and raw materials for the DIY crowd.

Swell Joe Coffee adds to the strong local coastal vibes at the Brush Factory with its small-batch, locally roasted beans. The energy fueling Swell Joe comes from co-owners Drew and Karen Johnson, and Dave and Sharon Vitella, who founded the company in 2014. The Vitellas, who also own Surf Bagel, were inspired to serve fresh-as-it-gets coffee to complement their baked-daily bagels. Six years later, Swell Joe is now offered in more than a dozen restaurants, grocers and specialty shops, furthering the company's mission to bring the finest and freshest coffee to coastal communities.

Karen Johnson said, "We like to keep it simple. Our six signature roasts feature beans from Colombia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Papua New Guinea, Kenya and Sumatra, and we roast them in small quantities to assure consistency and freshness. We love what we do. As hands-on owner/operators, we consider ourselves to be the happiest small-batch coffee roastery in Delaware. And we're thrilled to be a new vendor at the Brush Factory, bringing locally roasted beans to locals and visitors who are looking for unique and fun finds."

Locals Margo Mitchell and Colby Hopkins have taken woodworking and custom design to a new level with Happy Camper Designs. They offer a wide variety of handcrafted signs, tables, earrings, oars and more. One of their best sellers is the Delaware Beach Tag sign, a tribute to a unique Delaware tradition first started in 1958. Mitchell said, “All our works are proudly made in the 302 by a local family business.”

At Saventecks, Delaware rock ‘n’ roll legend Ed Shockley, best known as the drummer for Jack of Diamonds, brings a unique collection of antiques, one-of-a-kind items and more to the Brush Factory.

Pampered pets are the focus of new merchant Hound Dogs.

With Michael Patrick II, veteran Lewes merchants Diane and Mike Palen are expanding their successful blend of antiques, vintage furniture and unique finds to jewelry, paper goods and nautical maps.

Chura is also happy to announce Brush Factory vendor Redone is now an official distributor for Fusion Mineral Paint. Fusion furniture paint comes in over 50 colors to suit every style, mood and project. Its best-in-class paint features include an environmentally conscious formulation, zero VOCs, no brush strokes, superior durability, easy one-step application and significantly improved strength. Redone will host paint demonstrations and classes throughout the fall.

For more information, go to the Facebook page for The Brush Factory on Kings.

The Brush Factory is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., seven days a week. Parking is free.