Meet the Vendor
Joan Richterkessing, owner of Joan of Arc, takes vintage home decor to a whole new level in her booth at The Hill Antique Market. Offering statement pieces like authentic car grills, industrial tables, oversized farmhouse cabinets and rustic wall art, she creates an eclectic and exciting antiquing experience.
The Hill Antique Market: What’s the origin of your business name, Joan of ARC?
Richterkessing: I felt it was important to use my name, but I got stuck there. My husband, Gary, came up with Joan of ARC—with ARC serving as an acronym for Architecturally Rustic Charm. It works well because I sell quite an eclectic mix of antique and vintage pieces.
THAM: For all its large and unusual wares, your booth always stops people in their tracks. How would you describe your vintage merchandise?
Richterkessing: I sell a lot of primitive, farm-style, rustic and other authentic vintage treasures. My pieces tend to be large-scale—thanks, in part, to my husband, who likes to buy big mancave things. I’m intrigued by that ‘something different.’ I don’t go for high-end antiques with pedigree, I prefer an industrial look—which means an item may not be perfect and maybe it’s a little dirty. And I like to buy something out of the norm and make it special. For instance, I recently bought a metal doctor’s cabinet that was meant to fit into a wall. I found vintage legs for it and repurposed the piece.
THAM: Does it take a certain customer to buy such unusual pieces?
Richterkessing: I’m always surprised by who buys my things and intrigued by how they use a piece in their home. Recently, I sold two old Jeep car grills to different customers. One customer repurposed the grill into a headboard for her son’s bedroom. The other one, which was white, was a gift from a mother to her daughter, who had just purchased her first Jeep—also white. Her mother thought the grill would look cool on her wall. I try to find unique items that are not commonly found in the St. Louis area.
THAM: How did you get interested in buying vintage treasures?
Richterkessing: It seems like I’ve always gone to garage and estate sales. When Gary and I first got married, we shopped for furniture together, traveling from St. Louis to Chicago to buy pieces. Now we enjoy longer road trips and go to farm auctions. We’ve traveled to Nebraska, Kansas City, some areas in the south, but our current favorite is Iowa.
THAM: How long have you been in the antiques biz?
Richterkessing: I’ve been selling antiques for about 10 years. At one time, I owned a shop—Joan of ARC—on Main Street in St. Charles, MO, but I’ve had booths in antique malls for a while now. I’m happy not managing a store these days. I’d rather be out looking for vintage things to sell in my booths.
THAM: Do you have a personal collection?
Richterkessing: My husband collects antique tractors and we have four of them now. We also have about 25 vintage tractor seats, not counting the ones for sale in my booths. We just took down an old barn and have lots of loose barnwood. And Gary recently bought a 40-foot windmill, so there’s that. I dream about owning a huge barn someday—a party barn—and filling it with our treasures.
THAM: What’s your favorite feature of The Hill Antique Market?
Richterkessing: The old brick building, the industrial feel of it, drew me in immediately, and I still appreciate that aspect of it. We also enjoy the restaurant next door, Oliva, for lunch or during Wine Down Wednesday evenings.
Follow Joan of ARC on Instagram.
