The Brush Factory on Kings

Looking for something unique? This place has a little bit of everything from local artists and vendors. Every time I stop in I find something different I haven’t seen before. The staff here are always very friendly and helpful. If you are price conscious then this is probably not the place for you as prices reflect the artists and vendors efforts to produce authentic small batch goods. I love coming here though and would highly recommend it to anyone in the area.

A great seaside retail shop in Lewes Delaware that has good merchandise mixed in with original art pieces made by local artists and even a fresh fruit/ vegetable area. Visited on a Saturday in January and it was very crowded.

I visited The Brush Factory on Kings Highway in Lewes, Delaware, on Friday, September 5, 2026. I have always loved your store, have purchased merchandise there, and have often brought friends and family in to shop. Unfortunately, my experience during this visit has completely changed the way I feel about your business.

I am a pancreatic cancer survivor, and as a result, I occasionally experience sudden stomach issues that are completely unpredictable and beyond my control. When this happens, having immediate access to a restroom is not a convenience—it can be an absolute necessity.

During my visit, I was experiencing such an emergency. I approached the employees at the register and, despite feeling extremely embarrassed and vulnerable, explained my situation and respectfully asked if I could please use the store’s restroom. I understood that your store policy is the restroom was not for public use. Please understand, I would not have asked if I were not experiencing a genuine emergency.

I was refused.

I was told that the store had previously allowed customers to use the restroom and that on some occasions, employees were left with a mess to clean up. I understood that those experiences may have been frustrating, but I was standing there asking for help during a medical-related emergency. I assured the employees that I was not going to abuse the privilege, yet I was still told no and had to walk to the next building desperately looking for a restroom.

I cannot adequately express how humiliating and upsetting that experience was. It was difficult enough to have to ask for help in such a vulnerable situation, but being refused when I was clearly in distress was incredibly disappointing.

Businesses certainly have the right to establish policies, but I hope you will consider whether there should be some discretion for genuine emergencies—particularly when someone explains that they are dealing with a medical condition. A little compassion in that moment would have made an enormous difference.

I have been a loyal customer and someone who has recommended your store to friends and family. Sadly, after this experience, I will no longer be visiting The Brush Factory, nor will I be recommending it to others.

I sincerely hope you reconsider how situations like this are handled in the future. No customer should have to feel ashamed or humiliated for asking for help when they are experiencing an unexpected medical emergency.