What's Old Is New Again
DesignSTL|Jan/Feb 2020
At The Bricoleur, upcycling finds a home.
By Chris Naffziger
What's Old Is New Again


IN 2018, WHEN David Montgomery teamed up with his sister, Ann Montgomery, and her partner, Andy Holman, to open The Bricoleur on Cherokee Street in Benton Park West, they were wanting to create an atmosphere that combined two things they love: antiques and contemporary art.

The name itself is unconventional. It comes from the French word bricolage, which refers to the creation of art from leftover materials that the maker, or bricoleur, has on hand. True to the name of the shop, its owners have curated a mix of antiques, repurposed furniture, and original paintings and photography.

Though The Bricoleur is Ann and Andy’s first foray into retail, David once owned a similar store in Lawrence, Kansas, where he sold things made of discarded materials “years before they were calling it upcycling,” he says. But making that business work was a constant financial struggle that eventually forced him to close.

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