Brush Factory On Kings: Making a Difference for Local Merchants

Scouring the colorful corridors of the Brush Factory on Kings in Lewes for the perfect gift is an experience. Visitors will always be greeted with a friendly “Hello” or “Can I help you with something?” Guests may also dance along to the music played on overhead speakers as they scan shelf to shelf. Shoppers will find local produce, plants, furniture, antiques, clothing, and just about anything else they can imagine at the bustling store on Kings Highway. “More than anything else, we want our shoppers to relax and enjoy their experience. Our friends and neighbors stop by and see us weekly. I want them to take their mind off the chaos of the world,” says DEC member  Christine Chura, who owns the Brush Factory with her husband, Mark. 
   

While it may look like a traditional retailer to the casual passerby, the Brush Factory is far from a run-of-the-mill business. The Churas showcase items from 50 merchants inside their store — their small business helps other small businesses succeed. 
  

Christine previously worked as a consultant helping local businesses grow, work that led her and her husband to open the Brush Factory with a greater purpose than simply making profits. “We had worked with a lot of small businesses in our prior jobs, and going into all these small towns, we saw a lot of struggles,” says Christine. “One hundred dollars to a small business could make or break them, so we thought it would be beneficial to try to look at small businesses and see how we could help them.”
  

Founded in 2017, the Sussex shopping destination is housed in an old brush factory. The floor that was once covered in horsehair from brush production is now adorned with local artwork, home decor and excited customers busy picking out their favorite items. 
  

The welcoming atmosphere and eclectic mix of merchandise for sale is one of the many reasons the Brush Factory is so popular. The Churas say the Lewes community has been incredibly supportive of their business since it opened. That support was critical when the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to shutter their store for two months. Christine says operating a small business is already difficult, and the pandemic created even bigger challenges. “Everybody here works together, and that’s exactly what we did during COVID. After being closed for two months, when we reopened, shoppers had to make appointments and our books ended up being full. We closed one day a week to disinfect the store to make shoppers comfortable, and the community really came back and supported us.”  
  The couple’s unique approach to helping local merchants sell their goods has proven to be very rewarding. Merchants often get their start at the Brush Factory and are then able to expand and diversify. The Churas don’t just offer retail space to merchants, they also offer marketing, branding, pricing, and other services that help small businesses create a sustainable future. According to Mark, “We've had people go from selling items on a little card table, to where they are supporting themselves, they are buying homes and cars — they are successful. One merchant told me he was able to pay off his student loans because of what he does here, and that’s wonderful.”
   

Despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic and the long hours required to keep the Brush Factory a retail fixture in the Lewes community, the Churas still feel joy when they arrive at work each day knowing they are making a difference. “We’re still really excited to walk through the door every morning and to get to work. It’s not us doing this, it’s all of us here. We’re a team, and my heart is full when we see people succeed,” says Christine. Learn more about the Brush Factory at thebrushfactoryonkings.com or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.