The Scrap Exchange

The Scrap Exchange is a nonprofit reuse arts center and thrift store located at 2050 Chapel Hill Road in Durham, NC, founded in 1991 by a group of individuals seeking to provide affordable, high-quality materials for artists, educators, and creative people. Operating as a multi-faceted organization across a 23,000-square-foot creative reuse arts center and an 18,000-square-foot thrift store, the business offers an extensive inventory of donated materials including fabrics, craft supplies, hardware, lumber, vintage magazines, and countless repurposed items for art projects and DIY enthusiasts. Beyond retail, The Scrap Exchange plays a significant role in community development, having revitalized the Lakewood Shopping Center into a cultural hub that now houses various services including the RAD Lab, El Centro Hispano, El Futuro health services, and the Durham Community Food Pantry, while serving as an anchor institution that helps buffer against gentrification and promotes environmental sustainability through reuse and creative expression.