Shopping

St. Louis has always been a destination for those looking to buy, sell, or trade. Pioneers journeying west often stopped for supplies in St. Louis, which started out as a fur trappers’ trading post. The city eventually became a regional hub of shopping activity. St. Louis outfitted fashionable Victorian ladies, mountain men, riverboat gamblers, and long lines of wagon trains in the 18th and 19th centuries, and even explorers Lewis and Clark prepared for their historic expedition by buying their supplies in St. Louis.

Today’s explorers can find sophisticated styles, bargains, and hard-to-find items throughout the area. From clothes with big-city style to retro fashions, St. Louis probably has a store carrying what you’re looking for. A host of one-of-a-kind shops located throughout St. Louis’s historic neighborhoods feature beautiful antiques, artsy galleries, and crafty boutiques. Or, you can remember your time in St. Louis by purchasing some jewelry, a botanical treasure, or an abstract piece of art from one of the dozens of museum and attraction gift shops.

Plus, if you like what you eat in St. Louis—and you will—you won’t want to go home without some tasty reminders of the good food you’ll find here. The Schnucks grocery store chain is a good place to find low prices on a variety of St. Louis–specific goodies, including pasta sauces and salad dressings from some of the popular Italian restaurants in The Hill neighborhood. Beer lovers might want to take home a pack of St. Louis–brewed Schlafly beer, a microbrew that’s sold in dozens of area restaurants and bars. You can find Schlafly favorites at area grocery stores as well, along with many of its specialty and seasonal brews.

So, whatever you’re looking for, you can find it in St. Louis. Maybe you should bring an empty suitcase with you so your cool souvenirs don’t get squashed during the ride home.

Shopping - The Arts

It’s no surprise that a city responsible for launching so many talented actors, musicians, and writers over the years would have a lively, contemporary music, dance, and theater scene. In addition to a long list of musical artists, playwright Tennessee Williams spent his formative years in St. Louis, as well as poets T. S. Eliot and Maya Angelou. Actors from Hollywood’s golden age, such as Betty Grable, Vincent Price, Virginia Mayo, and Buddy Ebsen, as well as current favorites such as John Goodman and Kevin Kline, all have called St. Louis home. (These artists, and many others from the worlds of sports, music, science, education, and technology, are honored with brass stars and plaques on the St. Louis Walk of Fame. With all this history and glitter, it’s easy to see why St. Louis is such a culture-rich city.

One focal point of the St. Louis arts scene is the Grand Center Arts and Entertainment District, located just minutes west of downtown, which is home to a variety of the city’s most popular arts organizations, including the renowned Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO). SLSO plays within the friendly confines of Powell Symphony Hall. Other Grand Center neighbors include the tremendously entertaining St. Louis Black Repertory Company, which stages performances at the Grandel Theatre, and the acoustically perfect Sheldon Concert Hall, home to various jazz, folk, and chamber music performances throughout the year.

Live-theater options continue to expand in St. Louis, and one of the newest events has quickly become an annual tradition. The St. Louis Shakespeare Festival debuted in June 2001, and it continues to present free, professional-caliber Shakespearean theater, and does it among the lush greenery of Forest Park. There are a multitude of small, independent theater groups ranging from “small-town” municipalities’ productions of Oklahoma! to the more avant-garde groups who tackle serious social issues and offer a more controversial night at the theater. There’s also the annual St. Louis International Film Festival, which presents an aggressive series of films and related events during its 10-day run.

Other live-theater options include the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and Opera Theatre of St. Louis, both at suburban Webster University. Opera Theatre, which makes a special effort to attract younger audiences, prefers a fresh and “American” style, with the performances done in English and featuring outstanding young artists alongside members of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra.

In addition to Webster University, St. Louis’s numerous colleges and universities contribute to the local arts scene as well. Washington University and Saint Louis University both offer excellent galleries and exhibits, along with a growing number of neighborhood galleries in places like Washington Avenue, Maplewood, Clayton, and the Central West End.

Local arts groups include the Regional Arts Commission (RAC) and their cadre of “Arts Commandos,” the Missouri Arts Commission, and the St. Louis Arts & Education Council.

Even with all of this, St. Louis’s local arts scene continues to expand, with the opening of the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis and the building designed by architect Tadao Ando that houses the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts.