My lighting umbrella brushes the ceiling fan as I move it about the old 1740’s era building that the Broom Place in Boykin, SC, calls home. I manage to dislodge at least a centuries worth of dust; if not older. Susan Simpson jokingly tells me that I’ll have to come back later to clean up the mess I’ve made. At least I hope she’s kidding.
About 40 years ago, fed up with her job in a stuffy office, Susan Simpson answered a newspaper ad selling some old broom making equipment. On a whim, Simpson replied and soon found herself the owner of some not-so-brand-new broom making equipment. In fact, the few companies that sold broom making equipment had long been out of business. The equipment was at least a hundred-years-old.
Simpson didn’t know how to make a broom. To make matters worse, neither did the woman who sold her the equipment.
She realized she’d have to teach herself.
Broom making is a lost art. It’s gone the way of, well, think of when your grandparents used to start of by saying “Back in my day....”
It’s the period of time before that.
Not many people make brooms by hand anymore. And the ones that do, aren’t jumping at the chance to teach others. Besides, brooms are mass produced today. Machines spit out a hundred brooms faster than Simpson can make one.
But that’s what makes Simpson’s sweepers so special. Each one is made by hand. The way your grandmother, actually, your great-grandmother would have made them. From the dying of the broomcorn on the outside of the broom, to the stitches that hold them in place, they’re made from scratch using equipment that you can’t find replacement parts for anymore.
But if you fancy one of Simpson’s colorful brooms, you better get your name on the list. It’s about a three month wait.
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