Take Something, leave something: the Swap shop is back
By Bina Thomson
Volunteers Susan Sloan (left) and Kathy Connolly bring positivity and hard work to the new Norfolk Swap Shop.
Charming is not often a word associated with a visit to a transfer station. When referring to the Norfolk Swap Shop at the Norfolk Transfer Station, however, it is spot-on. An American flag waves cheerfully in the summer breeze beside a planter of colorful annuals at the entry to a new shipping container. This is the work of Susan Sloan and Kathy Connolly, the volunteers who run the rebranded swap shop.
Previously known as Norfstroms, the swap shop served Norfolk from 2019 to 2023 but was closed primarily due to a lack of management. Unusable items were left outside the shop and the container was often too full to accept donations. The town Selectmen made the decision to close Norfstroms in the summer of 2023. The leased container was emptied and removed from the property. Connolly and Sloan agreed that there was a positive aspect to the closing, as it allowed them a fresh start.
The women began their efforts to bring back the swap shop as soon as Norfstroms was closed. It was important to them that they not burden the town or the transfer station attendants. “We wanted to go about it in the right way,” Sloan said. They contacted the Selectman’s office for permission to collect cans and bottles and used the deposit returns to purchase a new shipping container from New Haven. “We got the nicest one,” Connolly said. “It has air vents, wooden floors and is painted on the inside.”
Obtaining the container was only one step toward reopening. The pair had to purchase rubber mats to cover the wood floors and shelving to store donated items. Sloan detailed the hard work that went into bringing the swap shop back but emphasized the support they received. Dusty Rhodes of the New Brunswick Flea Market in Torrington donated shelving, and Ginger Creek Nursery, located on North Street in Norfolk, donated soil for the flower planter.
“Everyone has been so positive. They missed it,” Sloan said. “This is only our third day open, and we’ve had so many people come by.” One resident who selected a compost pail noted that they had the same one at home that was full of holes and thanked Connolly and Sloan for making the swap possible.
The container’s bright interior and new shelving showcase items available for the taking.
The women have a team of volunteers helping them manage the shop, and their main objective is to ensure that only appropriate items are donated. Posted signage indicates no electronics, appliances, large furniture or bulky waste will be accepted, and items may not be left outside the shop. Printed flyers inside the container outline accepted items and emphasize donating only things that are “appropriate to share with a neighbor, because they are the ones taking them home.”
Connolly and Sloan are still accepting cans and bottles to cover the cost of the container, now donated to the town. Connolly said they plan to have the shop’s name painted on the side of the container, along with several decorative elements to add to its charm, and pronounced that they are “really positive about it, and we’re going to make it work.”
The Norfolk Swap Shop is for Norfolk residents only and is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., spring to fall. For assistance or questions about the shop or donations, contact Kathy Connolly at 860-518-6156 or Susan Sloan at 860-542-1671.
