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April marks 10 years since Jeff Perkins (left) took the plunge to follow his passion and open his own small business, Scout Antique & Modern, after nearly two decades of working in the corporate business world. Photo by Bradley Quinn and Emily Giancarlo
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Scout is located on Liberty Road, in close proximity to the consignment furniture shop Room Service and two antique and fine furnishing shops (Blue Horse and Liberty Hill). Photo by Bradley Quinn and Emily Giancarlo
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Scout Antique & Modern features three rooms teeming with all manner of vintage curiosities, from furniture and architectural salvage to art, jewelry, home decor and rugs. Photo by Bradley Quinn and Emily Giancarlo
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Scout Antique & Modern features three rooms teeming with all manner of vintage curiosities, from furniture and architectural salvage to art, jewelry, home decor and rugs. Photo by Bradley Quinn and Emily Giancarlo
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Scout Antique & Modern features three rooms teeming with all manner of vintage curiosities, from furniture and architectural salvage to art, jewelry, home decor and rugs. Photo by Bradley Quinn and Emily Giancarlo
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Scout Antique & Modern features three rooms teeming with all manner of vintage curiosities, from furniture and architectural salvage to art, jewelry, home decor and rugs. Photo by Bradley Quinn and Emily Giancarlo
A little over a decade ago, Jeff Perkins stood in a corporate boardroom, looking out the window lost in thought. He had been inching closer toward his dream of starting his own business, but the prospect of leaving a steady job to take a leap into the unknown was understandably giving him a moment of trepidation. He called his friend Jon Carloftis, garden designer extraordinaire and a fellow entrepreneurial spirit, and asked, “Am I crazy?”
“Jon said, ‘Do it. Follow your dream. You won’t go wrong,’” Perkins remembered. “I’ll never forget the moment.”
Perkins heeded his friend’s advice, opening Scout Antique & Modern on Liberty Road with his partner, Greg Feeney, shortly after that conversation. The store celebrates its 10th anniversary this month.
“Greg and I started Scout at the peak of the economic downturn, if you can believe that,” said Perkins. “Luckily we didn’t even realize the magnitude of what that could mean.”
Named for Perkins and Feeney’s dog – a terrier rescue pup who was named after the young character in Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird” – Scout has become a trusted local source for all things eclectic, from décor, furniture and rugs to jewelry, art and oddities. In addition to having developed a loyal local fanbase, the shop has built a growing roster of clients that includes collectors, designers and home décor shoppers from cities far and wide, including Atlanta, Nashville, Los Angeles and New York.
After Feeney’s other career became more consuming – he was named vice president of Academics and Workforce Development at Bluegrass Community and Technical College in 2015 – Perkins brought in a new business partner, Freddie Chappell, to help him manage day-to-day operations at the shop. Perkins said Chappell, who had long been involved with Scout as a vendor, has quickly become an integral part of what keeps the shop unique and vibrant. In today’s culture, “vibe” is an important ingredient for a retail business – and Scout, according to a growing number of fans, has plenty.
“A trip to Scout is more than a feast for the eyes – it oftentimes evolves into a delightful history lesson,” said Lexington resident and Scout shopper Lucy Jones. “Jeff is positively encyclopedic when it comes to furniture designers and their work. Chatting with him is probably my favorite part of the Scout experience.”
Stepping into the front door of Scout is to be immediately immersed in a highly curated space teeming with curiosities, with several rooms filled with eclectic finds arranged in a variety of vignettes. The shop’s collection inventory ranges from homegrown goodies such as silver julep cups or rare paintings from Henry Faulkner or other Kentucky artists to international mementos from every era – mid-century modern, art deco and Danish modern to classical and Victorian. A cast iron Japanese vase shaped like a Koi fish or a vintage Hermes cuff bracelet is at home at Scout as a set of Arne Jacobsen chairs or an elegantly carved wooden side table or dresser.
Perkins explains that what keeps Scout’s inventory so irresistible is the combination of dealers represented in the store, each of whom regularly scours the United States and Europe for great one-of-a-kind finds. One should also count Perkins’ ever-present drive to keep Scout interesting as one more ingredient to success.
“I still worry – even after 10 years I want to keep things fresh and new and continue to delight our customers,” Perkins said.
Fortunately, Perkins’ sense of worry is balanced by truly believing in the brand that he’s created with Scout. That sense of assurance is one he adopted in the early days of opening the business and one that has helped carry the shop through its first decade of success.
“I’ve learned overcoming fear of failure is the biggest challenge,” he said. “You have to have confidence in yourself.”
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Photo by Bradley Quinn and Emily Giancarlo
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Photo by Bradley Quinn and Emily Giancarlo
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Photo by Bradley Quinn and Emily Giancarlo
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Photo by Bradley Quinn and Emily Giancarlo
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Photo by Bradley Quinn and Emily Giancarlo
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Photo by Bradley Quinn and Emily Giancarlo
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Photo by Bradley Quinn and Emily Giancarlo
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Photo by Bradley Quinn and Emily Giancarlo
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Photo by Bradley Quinn and Emily Giancarlo
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Photo by Bradley Quinn and Emily Giancarlo
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Photo by Bradley Quinn and Emily Giancarlo
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Photo by Bradley Quinn and Emily Giancarlo
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Photo by Bradley Quinn and Emily Giancarlo
We sat down with Jeff Perkins recently to talk about Scout’s decade-long foray into becoming one of Lexington’s most beloved and unique places to shop.
You’ve said you thought long and hard about leaving your day job – 19 years in circulation and marketing at the Lexington Herald-Leader – and starting Scout. How did the dream get started? I always had an interest in starting a business. Greg and I talked about the idea of mixing antiques, mid-century modern design and art together to create a store – of course, the problem was getting the courage to let go of the security of a corporate paycheck and health care.
What are some of the factors that have contributed to Scout’s success? Location is key. When we first moved into this neighborhood, Julie Selby, the owner of Room Service (the upscale resale furniture and decor shop located next door to Scout) was very welcoming and it’s always been a good fit. This neighborhood has changed a lot over 10 years. There has been a surge of activity with new shops opening and we’ve gotten to be part of what got that started and that growth. [Another big factor is] the fact that we are a group shop at heart. We work with a very select, small group of artists and designers who are part of the business. It isn’t just one person’s vision – there’s a lot of style and personality mixed together. Even though some of the shop is divided up into vendor areas, it has a flow and so much is curated into a mix of everyone’s items. We curate the shop to create room settings that help people visualize the pieces in their own home or office. It’s about what works together and provides a great look.
What are some of the of the most unusual/memorable items you’ve had in the shop over the years? One I remember is a stall door from Faraway Farm, where the famous Thoroughbred Man o’ War lived. We also once had a vintage Louis Vuitton trunk from the 1920s that was outstanding. Really, sometimes the most memorable aspects are the people and the stories I get to hear. One of my favorite things about Scout is getting to meet people out of context and learn amazing things about them.
Do you have your own collecting obsession you’d like to share? What are you always on the lookout for? I was an avid collector of Lexington’s Phoenix Hotel pieces for several years, but I stopped after I had over 100 pieces. I will likely sell that collection at some point. I’m now focused on art. Greg and I now primarily collect original art from both local and national artists. I love Kentucky art, and I own various styles from a variety of different artists.
What would we be surprised to know about Scout? Gosh, there’s a lot I think would surprise people. A great thing is nearly every person we started with in the group 10 years ago is still with us today. I think people would be surprised to know a lot of our inventory comes from such a wide variety of places – it isn’t just local or even regional items. Also, people may be surprised to know we try to turn the entire inventory every 60 days. We want it always to be a new experience when you come in.
What are some of your favorite places in Lexington? When dining out, I love to go to Le Deauville, and I’m a big fan of Tomo. I love the Arboretum – and, oh my gosh, I nearly forgot to say Pemberton’s Greenhouses! I can spend all day wandering around Pemberton’s.
If you had an opportunity to do a totally different business, what else would interest you? I’ve always wanted to have a business that took visitors on a guided tour of all that makes Lexington and Kentucky a wonderful place. I love history and all things Kentucky so a dream business would share that with everyone who comes here. It’s great to see people connect with this special place.
What advice would you give someone starting a small business? Know that it is going to be a seven-day-a-week commitment, not only at the beginning. To remain relevant, you must stay involved. As a small business owner there’s no ‘resting on your laurels.’ Next, I would say it needs to be your passion. You’ll wear many hats as the owner of a small business. When you find something that inspires you, it won’t seem like work. And last, I’d say, expect the unexpected.
What do you most want Scout to be? I most want Scout to be an experience. I want us to be the go-to place for the unique. As we have gotten more established, we’ve also enjoyed getting more involved in the community. We work with the Humane Society and several other groups to be part of how they work in the community too. We love being part of what makes Lexington the unique and special place it is.