Background: Les Meek, who became an antiques dealer and auctioneer in Wales more than 50 years ago. He brought his business – The Insyde Outsyde Shop antique store and Meek’s Auctions – to Red Bank 30 years ago.
Women in a man’s world: Les Meek’s daughters, Josi Meek and Victoria Meek-Underwood, now help him run the business. Victoria went to school to become an emergency medical technician and loved the job, but not the emotional toll it took on her. “There was so much sadness with that. There’s nothing sad about furniture,” she said. Victoria left her EMT job 25 years ago to join the family business.
She then went to school to become an auctioneer. Females are a rarity in the industry, said Victoria, who thinks that may be because it revolves mainly around farming, which is also dominated by males.
The certification process took her more than two years. She said she wishes she’d started earlier, when she was 18, but didn’t think at the time that she’d like the profession as much as she does. Her favorite part is the adrenaline rush she gets during an auction, as everything is happening so quickly.
Her sister Josi does the bookkeeping for the business. “If it were up to me and Dad, we would just constantly spend money,” joked Victoria.