Meet the Vendor
It’s both a successful business and a passionate collector’s journey for Melissa Mader and Matt Siemer, owners of Modroots. They specialize in Mid-Century Modern furniture and fixtures in their booth (66B) at The Hill Antique Market in St. Louis.
The Hill Antique Market: How did you choose the name of your business, Modroots?
Mader/Siemer: Our business name is a play on the word “modern” since our shop is all about that Mid-Century Modern. Matt said the name should also reflect where we came from, and then said “roots”—and Modroots stuck. But Melissa added the shuttlecock to the “M” in the logo name because our first dating trip together was to Kansas City to see the 18-foot shuttlecocks on the museum lawn. It was either that or get matching shuttlecock tattoos—which Melissa would still consider!
THAM: How would you describe the overall vibe of your booth?
Mader/Siemer: Vintage 1955-1969 is our sweet spot. That is the true Mid-Century period that everyone loves, when tapered legs were hot and Pyrex made the most awesome juice carafes and coffee decanters! Our foundation was built on furniture pieces, but we now have an amazing collection and eye for entertainment ware, such as bar sets and liquor decanters. We also offer a pretty impressive collection of men’s hats, as well as some vintage apparel, home decor and beautiful bolts of fabric—really, anything that we feel could be re-purposed for someone’s home and enjoyment, we love to stock. No one thing is ever consistent…one week we will sell out of highball glasses and champagne coupes, and the next week it will be coffee cups and wall art. It’s exciting to see there is something for everyone, and knowing that we found a piece that will be part of an individual’s home collection or used to entertain their friends and family is the most rewarding and happy feeling of all!
THAM: What’s something we should know about collecting Mid-Century Modern furniture?
Mader/Siemer: In case you’re shopping for bedroom furniture, it may be helpful to know that it’s extremely rare to find a Mid-Century bed frame larger than a full size.
THAM: Do you upcycle? If so, what kinds of pieces speak to you in that way?
Mader/Siemer: We absolutely upcycle! We are careful to not take away from the authenticity of the pieces we get, but we are also all about bringing amazing Mid-Century pieces into a modern light. We’ve taken Mid-Century hutch tops and added hairpin legs to create beautiful cabinets and turned buffets into bars by adding wine holders and glass racks. Matt has taken pieces and built onto them to transform them into a completely different purpose at a client’s request, and we were recently asked to create a bathroom vanity for a client home.
THAM: How did you first develop an interest in Mid-Century Modern furnishings?
Mader/Siemer: We were given a Mid-Century desk by a neighbor and decided to refinish it and put it online. We had an overwhelming response and sold it within two days. We realized our artistic design and interpretation of Mid-Century modern style was not just something we loved, but also highly sought after!
THAM: Do you have personal collections? If so, what do you collect?
Mader/Siemer: Matt hoards lamps…seriously. It took a lot to get him to bring a cork one into the shop! We have Mid-Century furniture throughout our home. Melissa loves throwing parties and hosting dinners, so she is obsessed with finding mid-century entertainment pieces—everything from plates, pitchers and vases, to bar sets, glass sets and even liquor decanters. Matt loves fedoras and gentlemen’s hats of any kind. We also sell from these collections at The Hill Antique Market.
THAM: What do you enjoy most about being a vendor?
Mader/Siemer: Interacting with our amazing customers and fellow vendors.
THAM: What’s your favorite feature of The Hill Antique Market?
Mader/Siemer: We love that the market is open seven days a week, and that it hosts the evening antiques shopping experience, Wine Down Wednesdays, with Oliva Café, just next door.
