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At Salvage Garden, we believe in preserving Detroit’s rich architectural history, diverting materials from the landfill, and making materials available to Detroiters restoring and rehabilitating old homes.
Retail architectural salvage is often not financially feasible for people rehabbing their old home on a budget. With flippers removing and throwing architectural salvage away from old houses in Detroit, we save those items to offer at a sliding scale.
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Our pricing thrives on trust while allowing people to decide where on the pricing spectrum they can comfortably afford to pay. We offer three prices for most of our items and it’s up to the customer to self-assign their price.
We will always work to grow and examine our own hang-ups around money and fears about financial stability alongside being a good activist.
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Useful reads and sources on sliding scale:
‘Sliding Scale: Why, How, and Sorting Out Who’
'How to Determine Sliding Scale Fees'
'A Better Sliding Scale'_____
Useful reads on commerce vs. capitalism:
‘Commerce ≠ Capitalism’ -
This is a true labor of love and an unpaid one at that. Both co-owners, Lise and Sean, work full-time in historic preservation outside of running Salvage Garden. We are deeply committed to the preservation of vintage architectural buildings and fixtures—it's both our profession and our passion.
Lise Saint James
FOUNDER | SHE/HER
With an educational and professional background in interior design, Lise currently works for the City of Detroit in historic preservation.
Sean Saint James
CO-FOUNDER | HE/HIM
As an original wood window restoration wizard, Sean has grown his love for saving old houses through his hands-on work and dislike for the vinyl window industry.