Why I’m Hooked on Working in a Reclamation Yard

There’s something strangely addictive about life in a reclamation yard. It’s muddy when wet, dusty when hot, often noisy and chaotic - but it’s also full of beauty, history, and the thrill of discovery. Once you’ve spent a day surrounded by salvage, there’s no going back to ordinary retail.

Before I was given the opportunity to open my little black shipping-container shop at Ross Reclamation, I had worked there for over a year. Initially, I thought I’d simply be selling a few architectural antiques and reclaimed building materials. Instead, I found a world bursting with stories — a community of builders, makers, collectors, and dreamers who see potential in every timeworn piece.

Each day starts with the clang of gates, the hum of forklifts, and the smell of stone, metal and timber. Somewhere, Pepper the yard dog is greeting customers like an old friend, and someone’s bound to call out, “Have you got any chimney pots?

Inside my shop, I might be rearranging a display of mid-century glassware one minute, then chatting about Victorian bricks the next. The rhythm of the yard never stops — lorries arrive with new treasure, the salvage crew unloads, and the air fills with that mix of dust, laughter, and possibility.

The People and Their Projects

One of the things that keeps me hooked is the people. Every customer who steps through the yard gates seems to have an interesting story. Someone might be restoring a Georgian townhouse, another rebuilding a cottage that’s been in their family for generations. I’ve met people turning old church windows into garden rooms, or searching for a single stone step to complete their restoration.

Each conversation connects the past and present - reclaimed treasures find their way into homes with history, and I get to hear how they’ll start a new chapter there. That’s what makes it all worthwhile.

The Beauty of the Imperfect

Working here has changed how I see things. In a world obsessed with “new,” I’ve fallen in love with the imperfect - the crack in a piece of pottery, the patina on old brass, the rust that tells a story. Every scuff and scratch carries a whisper of its past life.

The yard is a reminder that sustainability doesn’t have to be boring. It’s creative, practical, and deeply human - the art of giving old things new purpose.

The Magic of the Reclamation Yard

We might not have a high-street window display, but we’ve got Pepper the yard dog, a rocking horse on the roof, and the sound of laughter echoing between stacks of stone. It’s not glamorous — but it’s real, and it’s endlessly inspiring.

I’m hooked because no two days are the same. Because every visitor brings a story, every item has a past, and every piece that leaves the yard finds a new home.

And that’s the beauty of working in a reclamation yard — you’re not just surrounded by salvage; you’re surrounded by second chances and stories to inspire.

Pepper the yard dog.