John O'Daniel Exchange

Durham Entrepreneur is Growing a Business Community at Historic Farmer's Exchange

Grand opening celebration set for Saturday, November 21 from 3 to 5 p.m. at 801 Gilbert Street

DURHAM, NC – Wendy Clark has re-christened the former hosiery mill, farmer's cooperative and now non-profit and entrepreneurial business community, The John O'Daniel Exchange (www.BelovedCommunityNC.com). Small-business owner Wendy Clark have transformed a 92-year-old building near the Cleveland-Holloway neighborhood into a busy small business and nonprofit center, home to burgeoning ventures and a host of workshops enriching the local entrepreneurial community.

"We have created a space that for entrepreneurs just starting out or non profits that serve the community and need an affordable, accessible place to do business,” Clark said. "We feel like it's a good opportunity for businesses and local people to either start up something or something that would serve the community and thereby reinvest in that area."

In September of 2008, Clark purchased the 14,500-square-foot building at 801 Gilbert St. for $275,000. As Lewis & Clark Community Developers LLC, she has put an additional one million into the renovations. Lewis & Clark was able to secure a commercial revitalization grant of $177,000 from the city of Durham and secure the rest of the financing from BB&T. Their first tenants moved in May, 2009 and the Exchange is now home to six for-profit businesses including Carpe Diem and six n