Meet the Vendor
Carleen Kramer recently opened Oliva Mercantile inside The Hill Antique Market, featuring new gifts and greeting cards as well as vintage decor and unique treasures. As co-owner of the market, she shares her vision and future plans for the newest must-visit destination in St. Louis’s Hill neighborhood.
The Hill Antique Market: After helping to build a successful and ongoing business, Catering St. Louis Events, what made you decide to open The Hill Antique Market?
Kramer: The Market is sort of an evolution for Mark (Erker) and me. We have been opening new event spaces for many years. Our desire to create a comfortable ambiance for each of our locations has led to an affliction of buying antiques and fun decor. By extension, we wanted to create a unique experience for Hill Antique Market customers—from the music, to the decor, to the curated vintage merchandise.
THAM: Do you specialize in particular merchandise?
Kramer: I curate Oliva Mercantile, a boutique space within The Hill Antique Market. When I moved to the Hill about 10 years ago, I noticed there was really nowhere close to get a quick hostess gift or a birthday card. For instance, I offer a line of cards and cocktail napkins that always bring a smile to people’s faces. I like things that make people happy! Oliva Mercantile is a combination of new and vintage items. I don’t sell anything I wouldn’t love in my own home.
THAM: How did you first develop an interest in antiques?
Kramer: I just like to shop—a lot.
THAM: Do you have a personal collection?
Kramer: I have several collections but my favorite is a massive collection of vintage thermos jugs we display at our farm, Three Barn Farm in Clarksville, Missouri. One was even featured in Country Living Magazine last summer. Pretty much anything you would find in an old camp or lodge makes its way to the farm for our personal collections.
THAM: What do you enjoy most about being part of The Hill Antique Market?
Kramer: I’m very proud of the community we have created. The people we meet and work with who have also become friends have enriched our lives in so many ways. The Hill area of St. Louis is undergoing a major renaissance, and we feel we have been an integral part of that growth.
THAM: What’s your favorite feature of The Hill Antique Market?
Kramer: We have many talented vendors and creative artists who sell their treasures at the Market. It’s really fun to see what they bring in—I learn something from each and every one of them. It’s an amazing collaboration.
THAM: Talk about the expansion and any upcoming plans you have for The Hill Antique Market.
Kramer: We just recently expanded the Market. Phase Two on the north side of the building features larger booths that allows for more furniture and other large pieces. The south side, currently under development, will be a unique event space where we may host art shows, antique sales, and a mix of other events. Formerly a renovated warehouse, our building is huge, with fabulous exposed brick and original skylight windows. We hope to use every square inch! We also own Oliva on the Hill next door, and we just built a cozy patio between the two businesses. On Wednesdays, Oliva becomes the neighborhood wine bar and the new patio allows us to expand that experience. We want to create a real destination on The Hill, and with The Hill Antique Market open until 8 p.m. on Wednesdays, we hope more folks will come for a cocktail and a little retail therapy! We plan to call the block between Daggett and Shaw The Marketplace on the Hill, and we’d like to host all kinds of opportunities there for the neighborhood.
Follow Oliva Mercantile on Instagram.
All booth images ©2020 Carleen Kramer.
