Meet Holt Isom of H. H. Walker and Company

Today we’d like to introduce you to Holt Isom.

Hi Holt, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
It was in my youth that my mother introduced me to beautiful living; thus, developing a deep appreciation for antiques and all the accouterment associated with a lovely home. On many Saturday mornings during my childhood, my mother and I would head off on an adventure, and often we ended up in one of the lovely antique stores in Central Georgia. One of my most treasured pieces is an oil painting I purchased on one such outing when I was ten years old.

After graduating from the University of Georgia, I moved to Los Angeles, California to work for an American design company, Wolf-Gordon. After several years in Los Angeles, I relocated to Chicago, Illinois, and began working for Holly Hunt Design, becoming the outside road manager in the fabrics and textiles division. After six years in Chicago, my Southern roots called me home and I moved to Atlanta, Georgia.

I was working in Atlanta, for Jerry Pair – Atlanta Decorative Arts Center (ADAC), when I started designing and selling custom lamps on the weekends. This was when I fully embraced my passion for antiques and design. In addition to selling my custom lamps, I started exporting English antiques and exhibiting at antique shows: The Nashville Antiques and Garden Show in Nashville, Tennessee, the Bluegrass Trust Antiques and Garden Show in Lexington, Kentucky, and Antique Week in Round Top, Texas. All of which I still take part in today.

Heavily depending on my skills developed during all those years in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta I took a leap of faith and opened HH Walker and Company in Waynesville, North Carolina. Opening the showroom has given me the opportunity to explore my passions for antiques, art, and textiles. In addition, it has afforded me the opportunity to develop deeper, more personal relationships with my clients.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
HH Walker and Company opened its doors in June of 2016 and enjoyed moderate success for the first three years.

Knowing that it takes time to develop and build relationships with clients, we stayed the course and continued cultivating relationships within the community, through antique shows and via social media. Fortunately, we weathered the pandemic lockdown and have been having remarkable success ever since.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
HH Walker and Company is an emporium featuring an antique gallery, a women’s boutique, and a garden room. I care about my customers, and I want to ensure they are purchasing quality pieces at a fair price. I am very discerning when selecting the shop’s inventory.

We carry the finest quality English, French and American antiques; you will find exquisite mahogany, English oak, French gilt, and painted American primitives all on the showroom floor. In addition to the antique furniture, you will find custom lighting, oil paintings, professionally matted and framed antique prints, antique oriental rugs, and a plethora of plants and unique accessories. Moreover, we carry a variety of women’s clothing, jewelry, purses, and accessories.

As a young man, I not only developed a fondness for beautiful living but also a deep appreciation and interest in history. Owning HH Walker and Company has afforded me the opportunity to meld two of my passions together. Twice a year I travel to England with two of my dearest friends. We rent a vehicle, I am the driver, and they are the navigators… yes, it takes two navigators! We roam the charming English countryside searching for beautiful antiques and visiting a multitude of lovely taverns and historic sites.

The primary reason for our trip is to acquire pieces for the shop, for antique shows, and for my clients, but we are always able to mix a little pleasure with the work. During our antique exploration, we search for pieces that are not only beautiful but also unusual; a piece that you will not find anywhere else. In addition, I carry a list of my client’s “most wanted” pieces, and I am always on the lookout for their heart’s desires. Some of our new acquisitions from our June trip include Louis Phillipe gilt mirrors, an English bamboo hall tree, English bamboo tables, Japanese Imari, oil paintings, several English oaks, and a mahogany chest of drawers.

I appreciate and value the craftsmanship of every piece I buy; I never buy anything that I would not put in my own home. However, I have three new acquisitions that are over the top fabulous! They are an exquisite English Oak sideboard with original brass pulls, a magnificent mahogany linen press, and a stunning mahogany chest on the chest. All should arrive in mid-September.

At HH Walker and Company we are fortunate to have two associates that have many years of design experience and antique shop ownership between them. These ladies are both knowledgeable and highly capable of meeting your shopping needs. They are a joy to be around and will happily share their expertise while providing one-on-one customer service. They look forward to assisting you in finding a special piece for your home and wardrobe.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Networking, and developing relationships, have been key to my success at HH Walker and Company and in my life. I guess you could say that my third passion is people and developing authentic relationships.

During my professional career, my trips to England, and to antique shows throughout the South, I have been fortunate to forge relationships with shop owners, dealers, and clients.

We have dined together, and I have been a guest in their homes; we have become friends, I am blessed, and my life is richer from them.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hhwalkerandcompany.com/
• Instagram: @hhwalkerandcompany
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HHWalkerandCompany