Alderman Lyda Krewson sent the following press release with fabulous news for the neighborhood! The former St. John's Methodist Church, above, located at the southwest corner of Kingshighway and Washington will be the home of Link Auction Galleries. The auction house takes its name from the building’s designer, renowned architect Theodore Link.
NEW AUCTION COMPANY LINKS WITH 160 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE
TO OPEN IN HISTORICAL BUILDING IN THE SAINT LOUIS CENTRAL WEST END
"Today a group of former employees of Ivey-Selkirk Auctioneers and its predecessors Ben J. Selkirk & Sons Auctioneers and Phillips-Selkirk, with more than 160 years’ experience in the auction business announced that they have resigned from Ivey-Selkirk Auctioneers and are planning to open a new auction gallery in the Central West End of St. Louis, Missouri offering art, antiques and collectables for sale in a variety of auction and gallery settings.
The group is seeking to open the new auction gallery in the former St. John’s United Methodist Church at 5000-34 Washington Blvd. An affiliated company has the property under contract. The new auction company, Link Auction Galleries, takes its name from the historical building’s designer, renowned architect Theodore Link.
Susan Kime will serve as President of the new company and Terry Beye will serve as the Senior Vice-President. “We are preserving a business that has successfully operated in St. Louis for almost 200 years,” noted Kime, “operating our business in such a significant historical building that we bring back to life is just one way we intend to show our commitment to the St. Louis community and our customers.”
Link Auction Galleries, majority-owned and controlled by its employees, has adopted the most rapid payment terms of any fine arts auction gallery operating. Beye added, “We intend to pay our customers within 15 days of getting paid for any property we sell and have adopted processes and procedures to ensure that happens.”
The company has closed on its initial financing for the auction business and is seeking to close on the acquisition of the new location as soon as possible with a targeted opening date in late March 2014. A complete auction schedule, hours of operation and web site will be available soon.
St. John’s United Methodist Church
Constructed in 1902, St. John's Methodist Church was the first church constructed on what is known as "Holy Corners", at the corner of Washington Place and Kingshighway in the City of Saint Louis. Designed by renowned architect Theodore Link (designer of St. Louis Union Station), the church is a Greek Revival design and includes a number of historic stained glass windows and other historical elements. The corner stone was laid in 1901 and the church building use started in 1903. The building is listed on the National and State Registry of Historic Buildings."
For more on this exciting news here is a link to this afternoon's news report in the St. Louis Business Journal.
I don’t know about a website as yet but in a press release to the Post Dispatch there is a phone number for partner Susan Kime, (314) 603-6475.
Does the new auction house have a webpage up yet?
This is welcome news. I enjoyed the auction setting, the people and the antiques that was the signature of the Selkirk House and affliated owners. I look forward to being a customer. As a victim in a very small way of their old employer I look forward to buying and selling from the “old crew”.
This is MAJOR news!