by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
It’s been more than a decade since former attorney Walter Kingston ditched his briefcase for his passport. Taking a tour of his Springfield furniture store is like walking through a photo album detailing 10 years of travel.
His inventory includes Chinese Fu dogs chiseled from stone, Dutch wrought iron, Portuguese wood works and Muslim carvings. Kingston scoured Southeast Asia for the diverse stock, but his customers only have to venture a few blocks off of Main Street.
Kingston chose to open his store Vanderleigh on East 10th Street in Springfield over more established markets in Savannah, Ga. and Charleston, S.C. He was drawn to the historic Jacksonville neighborhood by the large number of restored houses entering the market.
“I thought Jacksonville had the most potential,” said Kingston. “Savannah was a small market that’s probably peaked and Charleston was unaffordable.”
It’s fitting that Kingston would take the road less traveled. He’s been following it since taking an unusual career path in 1989. He was practicing corporate law in New York City and considering ditching the world of suits and ties. Finally, he took inspiration from a sculpture outside the New York Daily News headquarters. The giant rotating globe statue convinced him to pack his suitcase.
“I told one of the partners I was leaving for Asia and he didn’t understand what I was talking about,” he said. “He thought Asia was another law firm.”
Kingston spent 18 months traveling and plotting ways to avoid a return to the corporate culture. He found his escape in Indonesia’s furniture market. The country’s artisans had absorbed the influences of European colonials, producing one of the world’s most diverse furniture markets.
After several years of importing the furniture for sale to galleries and designers, Kingston decided to become his own supplier. He spends about five weeks a year in Indonesia looking for pieces then another two weeks in East Java watching over restoration work. His 6,000 square-foot display floor is packed with his favorite finds.
Most of the furniture is cut from teak wood, another Dutch export to Indonesia.
“Indonesia is such a crossroads, you can find just about every major design movement represented,” said Kingston. “That’s why you can find here a Dutch colonial cabinet next to a Chinese apothecary table next to a carving of a Jewish star.”
Kingston imported his store’s name from the Dutch as well. Before a reporter can even ask the question, he nixes the idea that “Vanderleigh” is Seinfeld-inspired. The name was used as an alias on the sitcom to cover a variety of schemes.
“That’s what people keep saying, but I never watched Seinfeld,” said Kingston. “I thought the name was Dutch without being too severe.”