Photography by Carmen Troesser
In 2018, when David Montgomery teamed up with his sister, Ann Montgomery, and her partner, Andy Holman, to open The Bricoleur on Cherokee Street in Benton Park West, they were wanting to create an atmosphere that combined two things they love: antiques and contemporary art.
The name itself is unconventional. It comes from the French word bricolage, which refers to the creation of art from leftover materials that the maker, or bricoleur, has on hand. True to the name of the shop, its owners have curated a mix of antiques, repurposed furniture, and original paintings and photography.
Photography by Carmen Troesser
Though The Bricoleur is Ann and Andy’s first foray into retail, David once owned a similar store in Lawrence, Kansas, where he sold things made of discarded materials “years before they were calling it upcycling,” he says. But making that business work was a constant financial struggle that eventually forced him to close.
“I always felt that my first store could have been more successful if I didn’t have to worry so much about [paying] rent and could focus on the creative aspects,” says David, who purchased the new building as an investment and rents out the apartments above to subsidize the shop.
The partners like the idea of being close to South Grand, and they passed on a location in Antique Row. For David, it seems strange that two of the most popular streets in South St. Louis don’t attract foot traffic from each other despite intersecting, and he wants to change that. “We want to be a bridge between South Grand and Cherokee,” he says, by encouraging people to walk between to the two shopping districts by way of The Bricoleur.
Photography by Carmen Troesser
The shop itself is set up like a series of living rooms holding discarded furniture that the team has restored. A mantel is festooned with green glass, brass objets, and ceramic plates.
“We want to show how furniture and art can enhance the look of your home,” David says.
The three entrepreneurs have opted not to sell collections of anything, whether plates, linens, or chairs. And it’s important to them that neighborhood residents are able to afford to buy things in the shop.
Recently, Andy seized the opportunity to acquire stock from a former lamp company, and he now offers repair services in the back of the store. Both he and Ann are photographers, and their work hangs in vignettes throughout the space. David’s dog portraits (he takes commissions) are displayed alongside works by other painters. The trio holds an art show in the adjacent storefront space once a month.
“Our merchandise is clean and ready to work in your home,” Andy says. “There are people who want to see a finished product, and we want to present it that way.”
“We’re not a museum,” adds David. “We like things that are old, a little beaten up, that have a story.”
