John is a picker. He’s a finder. He’s a fixer. He loves thrifting and hunting. Then he met Jill. AND SHE LOVES IT, TOO. Early on in their relationship, that’s what they’d do. They’d head out on the weekend and see what they could find. They both love anything mid-century modern, “groovy” or well-designed. But they realized they couldn’t keep it all.
They’re soon-to-be empty nesters, looking to downsize and John has a rule: One in, one out. He started posting some of his fixed up finds on Instagram. And they sold. He bought more, fixed more, posted more and suddenly his hobby was taking over. That’s when he decided to go all in. He lit the candle and took a leap of faith. A leap that is now Amuck Vintage.
He’s incredibly conscientious and thoughtful. Every piece he sells goes through his patented 10-point plan. He joked that perfectionism is really procrastination, but hey, that’s when you get the best ideas.
What he loves about Amuck is it fills that retail therapy need. He gets to buy all the time, but in the end, he gets his money back…and hopefully pockets a little, too. Now that it’s his business, he has to take into consideration the time spent to acquire a piece and how many hours will go into getting it ready. That means he has to pass up some incredible finds. Those are the ones that haunt him. What will become of them? What if someone slaps on a coat of *horror movie scream* chalkboard paint? UNSPEAKABLE. I mean, really.
One of his favorite finds was a gigantic Mid-Century Modern Brutalist sculpture, “Esperanto” by Mark Weinstein. He’s never come across another one, specifically one of that size. When he discovered it, it was being used as yard art on a farm. The fact that he was able to restore it and save it from a premature rusty demise gives him the extra fulfillment he’s looking for. That’s a huge part of why he does what he does, keeping incredible pieces out of landfills…and the hands of shabby chic-ers.
As for Jill? They’re married now and she has a vintage clothing and accessories section in Amuck. It’s right up front. It’s a family affair and they’re open for appointments. You can also shop both collections 24/7 on Instagram here and here.
