Brush Factory in Lewes to host vendors’ free tasting event Sept. 16

The Brush Factory will celebrate the start of the fall season with a complimentary open house tasting event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 16, at 830 Kings Hwy., Lewes.

The event will feature products from Swell Joe Coffee, Soberdough, Mama Maria’s, Big Joe’s Honey, Frank & Louie’s Italian Specialties, Delaware Chocolate Company and Rays Produce and Flowers.

Rays, the beach area’s most prominent year-round indoor fresh produce market, will be sampling its cheese and dairy products.

Swell Joe Coffee, a locally owned and operated, surf-inspired coffee roastery, will provide samples of Toastie’s Roastie, a popular custom roast created for The Starboard restaurant in Dewey Beach and named for Keith “Toastie” Kirk, their coffee-loving general manager, who will make a special appearance. Karen Johnson from Swell Joe Coffee is excited to have customers try Toastie’s Roastie.

“We partnered with The Starboard team to create a custom roast that captures the energy and vibe of this iconic Dewey Beach destination,” Johnson said.

Kirk said, “It’s been a wildly popular addition to our menu since the first day we brewed it up two summers ago.”

The Swell Joe team will also be sampling Shaka•Lit, a coffee chocolate bar handmade exclusively for Swell Joe by Delaware Chocolate Company. Proceeds from every bar purchased benefits the Surfgimp Foundation.

Customers will also be treated to buttercake samples from Frank & Louie’s Italian Specialties in Rehoboth Beach. Available in four varieties including vanilla bean, chocolate tuxedo, caramel dulce leche and fall-favorite pumpkin pie, buttercakes make great seasonal treats. Other festive Italian specialty products will also be available for purchase, including new items such as Frank & Louie’s Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce, and Mama Maria vinegar, olive oil and balsamic glaze.

For local honey lovers, Big Joe’s Honey, a Kent County bee apiary in Wyoming, offers handcrafted honey and beeswax products. Owners Joe and Theresa Nicolai practice natural healthy hive management and keep beekeeping local and all in the family.

No tasting event at the Brush Factory would be complete without warm freshly baked bread. Soberdough is an artisan bread with no artificial ingredients that comes in many flavors. Designed to be mixed with craft beer, or carbonated drink, Soberdough is a quick bread that can be prepared easily in five minutes, popped in the oven, and served fresh and hot.

Nearly all of the 60 unique specialty shop’s vendors offer fall-themed home decor, as well as one-of-a-kind gifts.

“The fall season is always a special time at the Brush Factory – we have so many new items from clothing, furniture art and more to share. We hope you can join us as we kick off the holiday season,” said owner Christine Chura. 

The Brush Factory is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily.

For more information, email brushlewes@gmail.com or call 302-864-7005.