Meet John Hinkel | Owner – Unique Decor

We had the good fortune of connecting with John Hinkel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi John, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Well, I wanted to start my own business buying, restoring, and selling antiques because I love the thrill of the hunt and the thrill of bringing the right item to the right person! However, I want to stay far away from turning into a hoarder, so selling it on is important ;). It’s so fun to find that one unique piece at that one random shop around Georgia and so gratifying to make it shine again. The additional perk of being able to brighten someone’s day with that unique piece of decor or that unique piece of jewelry is really rewarding too. I’ve met so many interesting people throughout my business journey so far!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Well, what sets my business apart from others is that we went all in on brass decor! Everyone has something brass in their booth, but no one has all brass! Another thing that sets us apart is how carefully we curate and display our collection across all of our booths, how nicely everything is shined, and the lengths we go to in order to make sure people are happy with what they buy.

It definitely wasn’t easy, but I’ve built everything around my brand organically so far! I’ve never felt the need to hack my way to growth because I really love talking to people. I put interactions first and make sure to have a conversation with whoever comes into my booth, even if they might not want to buy anything at that particular moment.

I want the world to know that, for me, this business is a social thing! Come talk to me, come shoot the breeze, come ask me about my stuff! If I end up selling you something, that’s even better.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m a big foodie! So I’m a big fan of a beltline tour that goes through the different neighborhoods in the city! Ponce City Market, Inman park, krog, and all the other good spots along the beltline that serve amazing food are must stops!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’ve got a list of people who I am indebted to for helping me to get off the ground and fostering my little business throughout the years!

1.) GVG Events (@gvgatl on instagram) – they were the first people who I started doing markets with when I started this whole thing!

2.) Danielle Giles (@argosymarket_eav on instagram) – her and her husband (as well as the wonderful staff at Argosy) made it possible for me to branch out and do more markets

3.) Cooper Barrett at Social Space (@socialspace.atl on instagram) – Social Space was the first retail store we got a little display in, allowing us to expand our offerings, and Cooper has turned into a real friend and is an amazing person!

4.) The folks at the Painted Tree Boutiques in Roswell (not on instagram). They’re the next retail store we just got a space in, and the experience has been tremendous so far.

5.) Wouldn’t be a shoutout without recognizing my family! Thanks mom and dad, aunts, etc 😉

Instagram: https://instagram.com/uniquedecor_atl

Other: https://chairish.com/shop/uniquedecor is the website where I list all the things that are normally too expensive or fragile to bring to normal popup markets

Image Credits
Cooper Barrett (@socialspace.atl)