Kevin A. Roberts
Maplewood Galleries
James Afflixio and Louise Harre tossed out name after name. After long careers spanning interior design, fashion, historic renovation, and antiques, they wanted their shop to carry a bit of everything: a mid-1800s English linen press, mid-1900s lamps, a carved bed cornice suspended from the ceiling, sconces from the coach lamps of a 1912 Pierce-Arrow…
They went broad and neutral with Maplewood Galleries (7415 Manchester, 314-449-1525, maplewoodgalleries.com). Then they picked only the coolest finds from a handful of vendors for their small space. It’s calmer than a cavernous flea market, but it has the same happy jumble. There are no cubbyholes or dividers to separate a sweet, square table made of white birch—innocence itself—from a massive French walnut armoire with two centuries’ knowledge.
“We’re more geared to the customer. We can keep things on hold or send them out on approval,” says Gary Boyson, Afflixio’s partner, who lends the venture retail skills that he honed in his work with the May Company.
Harre points out an English George III mahogany chest with satinwood binding. “Mid-1800s,” she guesses, running her hand over a drawer. “It’s been cut straight with chisels.” She moves to a French country farm table. “These were used as worktables at harvest time,” she says.
There’s an intimacy to this kind of knowledge; it’s more than cold scrutiny. Harre shows off an inlaid ivory, sandalwood, and silver box: “Lacque Burgate,” she says softly, naming the technique.
As they accept and sell, she and Afflixio teach customers what they know. It’s better than a roadshow.
