St. Louis has never been an out-with-the-old, in-with-the-new kind of place. Here, we revere our institutions. Places that have been around for a long time only gain a sense of character and a glow of respectability. We celebrate places that have stood the test of time.
Here are some that are celebrating significant anniversaries this year:
The Chatillon-DeMenil Mansion.
175: Chatillon-DeMenil Mansion
What is now a mansion began as a simple brick farmhouse.
Only the Chatillon part of the Chatillon-DeMenil Mansion is celebrating its 175th year in 2024. Fur trader Henri Chatillon and his wife, Odile Delor Lux, built the four-room farmhouse in 1849, after Chatillon returned from leading historian Francis Parkman along the Oregon Trail.
Chatillon and his second wife lived in the house for a few years and then sold it to Nicholas DeMenil and his wife, Emilie Sophie Chouteau. They had grander ideas, and, inspired by a big house with white pillars owned by Chouteau’s cousin, they built a much larger addition.
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The mansion was opened to the public in 1965.
“The big draw is the word ‘mansion.’ Everyone is interested in seeing how the other half lived,†said executive director Bill Stanard.
Visitors also come to see how French culture influenced the region, he said; DeMenil began the ºüÀêÊÓƵ area’s Bastille Day celebrations in the 1870s. Still others come to see the house’s extensive collection of memorabilia from the 1904 World’s Fair; DeMenil’s son, Alexander, was a director of the fair.
Accompanying visitors on all tours is the house mascot, a Welsh corgi named Lulu.
“People love to see corgis go upstairs,†Stanard said.
— Daniel Neman
175: Bellefontaine Cemetery
The gentle, peaceful, parklike green hills of Bellefontaine Cemetery were born out of tragedy.
In 1849, a cholera epidemic devastated ºüÀêÊÓƵ; more than 6 percent of the booming city’s population died that summer. The city’s 22 graveyards, most located next to churches, were already running out of room. At the same time, a number of civic leaders joined together to buy 138 acres of what was then rural land for a modern-style cemetery north of the city.
Over the next two decades, the cemetery expanded to its current 314 acres. It is now the final resting place of 87,000 souls, including many of note.
Adolphus Busch and his father-in-law Eberhard Anheuser lie there, and so do beat novelist William S. Burroughs and “Joy of Cooking†author Irma S. Rombauer. Rush Limbaugh and Sen. Thomas Hart Benton are there, too, and so is civil engineer and inventor James B. Eads, of Eads Bridge fame.
The Wainwright tomb, which houses the remains of Ellis and Charlotte Wainwright, was designed by trailblazing architect Louis Sullivan.
— Daniel Neman
Steam rises above the waters of the Mississippi River underneath the Eads Bridge as the temperature hovers around -1 degree in January, 2018.
150: Eads Bridge
Famously self-taught as an engineer, James Buchanan Eads built a bridge that has stood the test of time — a century and a half’s worth of time.
The Eads Bridge was the first bridge across the Mississippi River in ºüÀêÊÓƵ, the first to be built of steel and the longest arch bridge in the world. Structure Magazine, a publication for structural engineers, calls it the 19th century’s second best-known bridge, after the Brooklyn Bridge.
But it almost wasn’t built. Another engineer, Lucius Boomer, proposed to build a different bridge to cross the river near the same spot. His, which would have been made of wrought iron, would have had six spans instead of three, and they would not have set records for length.
In an impassioned response, Eads eloquently argued that mankind should not limit itself to doing what has already been done, to playing it safe, to exploring new ideas. The great engineering feats of the day, including laying the Atlantic cable, could not have been accomplished if people had been afraid to attempt them, he said.
Eads’ argument won the day, and his and Boomer’s companies later merged. AT $7 million, the bridge ended up costing twice Eads’ estimate, and at 7 years it took twice as long as he thought. Fifteen men died in its construction, including 14 who succumbed to the previously unknown decompression sickness now called the bends.
It is now listed as a National Historic Landmark.
— Daniel Neman
Built in 1906, this was the first of the Andrew Carnegie-funded libraries in the ºüÀêÊÓƵ Public Library system, which got its start in 1874.
150: ºüÀêÊÓƵ Public Library
What became the ºüÀêÊÓƵ Public Library was actually called the Public School Library of ºüÀêÊÓƵ in 1865. That, of course was more than 150 years ago. But the library was open then only to paying members. It wasn’t really open to the public for reading and reference until 1874.
Just after the Civil War, the new library stocked about 1,500 books. Now it has grown to a collection of more than 4 million items and shares its catalog with the ºüÀêÊÓƵ County Library, providing more entertainment and information than the Victorian-era founders could have imagined (not to mention digital technology).
Through a century and a half, the library, helped by a 1901 gift from Andrew Carnegie, created its world-class Central Library. It now also has 16 branches.
Voters supported a property tax for the library as early as 1894, which continues as the primary method of financing for the system.
Patrons who return books late no longer even have to pay a fine, as the library continues to provide services for all ºüÀêÊÓƵans —without paid subscriptions.
— Jane Henderson
The Palace of Fine Arts before the 1904 World’s Fair opened. It was the only permanent exhibit hall built for the fair and became the ºüÀêÊÓƵ Art Museum.
120: ºüÀêÊÓƵ Zoo Flight Cage and ºüÀêÊÓƵ Art Museum
Forest Park still boasts two attractions built for the 1904 World’s Fair. Through 12 decades, the ºüÀêÊÓƵ Art Museum and the walk-through aviary at the Zoo have been tended, repaired and updated.
Although the anniversary isn’t being celebrated at the art museum, the sheer age and changes chronicle much of a century of history: The city received title to the building in 1908, along with the restored fair grounds. In 1913, electric lighting is installed for the first time since the World’s Fair and marble sculptures are added to the north entrance, under supervision of the original architect, Cass Gilbert. Expansions, renovations and restorations continue, with a modern East Building added in 2013.
The Flight Cage at the ºüÀêÊÓƵ Zoo Erected by the Smithsonian Institution as part of the United States Government exhibition, the 228 foot long, 84 foot wide and 50 foot high wire enclosure was meant to educate visitors to birds indigenous to the nation. When the fair was over the Flight Cage served as the impetus for ºüÀêÊÓƵ to develop a full-fledged zoo.
There wasn’t even a ºüÀêÊÓƵ Zoo when the Smithsonian Institution commissioned the flight cage for the World’s Fair. The Smithsonian planned to move the cage to D.C. after the fair, but ºüÀêÊÓƵans rallied to keep it, and the city bought it for $3,500.
The walk-through aviary inspired the city to develop a zoo, the first municipally supported zoo in the world, the zoo says. The flight cage has been renovated three times, restoring the original structure in 1996. Now it is the home of a Cypress Swamp, featuring birds that thrive along the wetlands of the Mississippi River.
— Jane Henderson
Missouri Baking Co., part-owner Chris Gambaro (left) makes cookies at the bakery in the Hill neighborhood of ºüÀêÊÓƵ in 2015.
100: Missouri Baking Co.
It’s something of a paradox: For a bakery to last 100 years, it has to specialize in freshness.
The Missouri Baking Co. has been a landmark on the Hill since 1924, turning out breads and pastries alike to five generations of families. Though some of their offerings have changed over the years, the recipes for the old standards remain the same.
It’s an Italian cookie bakery, so it creates Italian cookies such as biscotti (four types), amaretto macaroons and crocanti. It’s an Italian pastry bakery, so it gives rise to panettone, tiramisu and cannoli. It’s an American bakery, so it produces a plethora of pies, including apple and cherry and pumpkin in season. It’s a ºüÀêÊÓƵ bakery, so it goes for gooey butter cakes.
But it’s also an international bakery, so it bakes baklava, beignets and German chocolate cake. And it’s a bread bakery, so it cooks Italian bread (seeded and plain), French bread and dollar rolls.
Oh, and then there are the chocolate drops. They’re like the best part of a cake — chocolate frosting on top, with just enough cake underneath to keep from getting it on your fingers.
— Daniel Neman
The original home of Nerinx Hall was on the Lockwood House family estate.
100: Nerinx Hall
This Catholic all-girls school began as a high school as part of Webster University. When the school separated, it moved to the Sisters of Loretto home on the Lockwood family estate in Webster Groves. Their home became the first school in 1924. It was named after Father Charles Nerinckx, a Belgian missionary priest who helped the community establish the order. By 1954, the school had outgrown the original home and expanded the campus into the current building.
In 1954, the students and faculty of Nerinx Hall moved to their new building.
The first class in 1925 graduated 31 young women. This year, 158 seniors will graduate. The school has more than 7,000 living alumnae. Spokeswoman Katie O’Sullivan said instilling a pursuit of justice is a hallmark of the education at the school.
This 100-year anniversary will be celebrated throughout the year. Festivities include a Day of Service on April 13, a night at the ballpark on May 17, a golf and pickleball tournament on June 14, a night at the Muny on June 27, an alumnae cabaret/theater night on Sept. 7 and a Centennial Festival on Oct. 5.
— Aisha Sultan
Eric Snyder looks at the Bobby Darin Dream Car on display at the National Museum of Transportation in Kirkwood on Dec. 22. The ruby red vehicle is a DiDia 150 that was handmade in 1960.
80: The National Museum of Transportation
The National Museum of Transportation, which displays motorized forms of transportation — cars, trains, planes and a boat — has thrived for 80 years by continually adding to its collection.
Next up: An F-18 fighter and attack jet, fresh from service in the Navy. It’s already on the site, partially disassembled, and should have a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially go on display around June 1.
There are only two other planes at the museum, which excels in its collections of cars and trains.
Singer Bobby Darin’s traffic-stopping Dream Car gets the accolades, but gearheads flock to the experimental 1963 Chrysler Turbine Car. Only 55 were built; only nine remain and only three still run. The museum has one of the three that runs (Jay Leno has another). Among its many attributes, the car can run on virtually any fuel, said board president Darryl Ross, including cooking oil, tequila and even perfume.
Lovers of trains are drawn to the museum’s collection of steam engines and such esoteric items as a rotary snowplow and the largest tank car ever built.
Last year, the museum acquired a prototype passenger pod from Hyperloop One, the company that proposed to build a high-tech system that could transport passengers from ºüÀêÊÓƵ to Kansas City in 30 minutes. In December, the company announced it was shutting down.
— Daniel Neman
Grant’s Farm has been the Busch family home for 120 years.
70: Grant’s Farm
A log cabin built and owned by former President Ulysses S. Grant sits on part of the Busch family’s 281-acre property in south ºüÀêÊÓƵ County. Grant’s Farm, which also includes a sprawling French Renaissance-style chateau, has been the Busch family home since 1903. The farm opened to the public in 1954. It’s now a refuge for more than a hundred animal species. More than 30 million guests, including generations of ºüÀêÊÓƵans, have visited the historic attraction to ride the tram through the deer park, see the animal shows, feed the goats, admire the famed Budweiser Clydesdales and sample a free beer. The farm plans to open this year in mid-March. There are more private tour options available now than ever before.
Generations of ºüÀêÊÓƵans have visited Grant’s Farm after it opened to the public 70 years ago.
While “the operation has grown in numbers over the years, it’s really a very similar experience to when it opened in 1954,†said general manager Steve Byrd.
The public was invited to submit ideas for a mural incorporating the landmark’s history to be painted on the Tiergarten façade. The winning artist will be selected in February and the new mural installation should begin in April.
— Aisha Sultan
Muralist Stajah Curry, left, mixes paint for volunteer Ron Johnson. Both were working on “Spark of Delmar, Spark of Hope,†the working title for a community art mural on the east side of Craft Alliance on Nov. 1.
60: Craft Alliance
Area artists founded Craft Alliance in 1964 with its name clearly describing the gallery. Within a couple of years, the gallery was offering classes and presenting exhibitions of pottery, fiber, glass and more.
When it celebrated its 20th anniversary, Barbara Okun, a member of the board, told the Post-Dispatch: “At one time, craft was isolated from the arts, and looked down on. But that’s changing. Today, I think, some of the best art being created is coming out of the world of craft.â€
In 2021, the studios, shop and galleries moved east on Delmar Boulevard to a much larger location near the glass-blowers at Third Degree Glass Factory. Craft Alliance hosts artists-in-residence, inspires students on field trips and mentors teens.
Classes include blacksmithing, metals and wood, along with glass, ceramics and print. The nonprofit center says it’s proud to be the “only organization in the region solely committed to promoting contemporary craft in all its forms.â€
It is opening its 60th anniversary year with a 19th biennial teapot exhibition, inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Mad Hatter and called “The Unbirthday Party.†The opening reception begins at 6 p.m. Feb. 16 at 5080 Delmar Boulevard.
— Jane Henderson
Bags of Imo’s provel are positioned next to one of its pizzas at its downtown location. The cheese, a blend of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone, is a cornerstone in ºüÀêÊÓƵ-style pizza.
60: Imo’s Pizza
The Square Beyond Compare is celebrating 60 years of ºüÀêÊÓƵ’ signature thin-crust, Provel-topped pizza. Over that time, Imo’s Pizza has grown from Ed and Margie Imo’s original home at Shaw Boulevard and Thurman Avenue in the Shaw neighborhood to nearly 100 locations across Missouri, Illinois and Kansas.
“There’s not many restaurants that can say they’ve made it to 60 years, (not) many businesses in general,†Imo’s director of marketing Nichole Carpenter says. “So we’re just really proud. We’re really thankful. We’re really thankful for the community.â€
Imo’s has launched its anniversary party with a commemorative pizza box from ºüÀêÊÓƵ artist Dan Zettwoch and the first of a series of quarterly specials: a two-topping, 16-inch pizza for $19.64. (Naturally, the price refers to Imo’s founding year.)
If ºüÀêÊÓƵ-style pizza does not yet enjoy the cachet of Chicago, Detroit or other regional pies, Imo’s is trying to change that, not least through retail sales. You can ship frozen Imo’s pizza nationwide via the website Goldbelly.
“We’ve been working really hard to find ways to share stories about Provel and about ºüÀêÊÓƵ style pizza and about Imo’s,†Carpenter says.
— Ian Froeb
The Pasta House Co. wants to name its new tomato mascot as part of its 50th anniversary celebration.
50: The Pasta House Co.
In true ºüÀêÊÓƵ fashion, the history of the Pasta House Co. is intertwined with another, even older beloved Italian restaurant, Rich & Charlie’s. Still, 1974 saw the birth of the Pasta House proper, and this year, the family-friend restaurant, which now counts 15 locations (and its catering options) turns 50.
“In the restaurant business, it’s unbelievable,†says owner Joe Fresta, who founded the Pasta House with the late John Ferrara and the late Kim Tucci.
Marketing director Jen Duerfahrd says the Pasta House is celebrating its golden anniversary with restaurant specials and social-media campaigns. Those specials include 50-cent toasted ravioli (available in orders of six for $3, 12 for $6 or 18 for $9), the 1974 price.
The Pasta House is also offering some of its signature pastas — spaghetti with meatballs, lasagna and pasta con broccoli, among them — for $19.74, salad included.
Meanwhile, the restaurant has also introduced a mascot, a tomato wearing a chef’s toque and apron. Duerfahrd says the Pasta House’s 50th birthday celebration will include naming the mascot.
— Ian Froeb
35: ºüÀêÊÓƵ Walk of Fame
It started 35 years ago with 10 names. Big names.
Chuck Berry, Katherine Dunham, James B. Eads, T.S. Eliot, Scott Joplin, Charles A. Lindbergh, Stan Musial, Vincent Price, Joseph Pulitzer and Tennessee Williams were all in the first class inducted into the ºüÀêÊÓƵ Walk of Fame.
In the ensuing years, 160 more names have been added to the sidewalks of the Delmar Loop. And it’s not just the names, it is also a 10-line biographical plaque showing how each honoree has affected the national culture.
And that, according to the walk’s founder, Joe Edwards, is what makes the difference.
“The informational plaque is really key. Teachers bring their kids in to do chalk rubbings of the informational plaques,†he said.
The biographical information is also what distinguishes the ºüÀêÊÓƵ Walk of Fame from, say, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which only has names and emblems representing the artistic category for which the honoree is remembered.
“Other cities and other states have sent delegations to check out the ºüÀêÊÓƵ Walk of Fame to model their own walks of fame after,†Edwards said.
— Daniel Neman
Members of the ºüÀêÊÓƵ Symphony Orchestra In Unison Chorus
30: ºüÀêÊÓƵ Symphony In Unison Chorus
The ºüÀêÊÓƵ Symphony In Unison Chorus was formed in 1994 for a single performance. At the time, no one could have guessed it would still be going strong 30 years hence.
It was founded by Robert Ray, a composer, conductor, professor of music at the University of Missouri-ºüÀêÊÓƵ and assistant to ºüÀêÊÓƵ Symphony Chorus founder Thomas Peck. Ray sought out African American singers from various community churches as well as members of the Symphony Chorus with the intent of putting together a group to sing the Hannibal Peterson oratorio “African Portraits.â€
Acclaim for that concert warranted establishing the chorus as a permanent entity with the stated purpose of “preserving and performing music from the African diaspora.â€
Ray retired in 2010 and the directorship was taken over by Kevin McBeth in 2011, and he has done much to raise the profile of the chorus and expand its repertoire.
The chorus, 120-plus members strong, performs annually in the Black History Month celebration “Lift Every Voice,†and the Gospel Christmas program, which has drawn guest artists including Oleta Adams, Take 6, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Wintley Phipps and ºüÀêÊÓƵ’ own Brian Owens. The group also performs in various community concerts and church programs and provides mentorship and academic support for young musicians, an important part of the SLSO’s outreach to the ºüÀêÊÓƵ area.
— Daniel Durchholz
25: The Family Arena
Like Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, the Family Arena is just a stone’s throw away from the Missouri River. But it’s in St. Charles, not ºüÀêÊÓƵ County — a geographical suggestion that, as the area’s population moved inexorably West, perhaps its entertainment options would follow. That hasn’t happened to a great extent, but over the last 25 years, the Family Arena has presented all manner of events: sports (arena football, minor league hockey, and, these days, ºüÀêÊÓƵ Ambush soccer), political rallies (George W. Bush, Bernie Sanders, Sarah Palin), game shows (“Wheel of Fortune Liveâ€), circuses, various what-have-you-on-ice shows, countless graduations, and, oh yes, concerts. Lots and lots of concerts.
Booking and marketing manager Tom O’Keefe told the Post-Dispatch last October that the arena does especially well with music’s “three C’s: country, classic rock and Christian.â€
The Family Arena has hosted everyone from Taylor Swift to Marilyn Manson, the Beach Boys to ZZ Top, George Jones to “Weird Al†Yankovic, TobyMac to Tool. Often, the venue is where you can see artists on their way up fame’s ladder — Taylor Swift is a good example; but also Luke Combs, Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, Thomas Rhett, Miranda Lambert and Eric Church; veteran acts still hanging in there, and indeed, some of whom were at the time on their way to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Pat Benatar, Joan Jett, Alice Cooper, Stevie Nicks, Heart, Cheap Trick and Def Leppard; blues and R&B legends: B.B. King, Buddy Guy and just recently, Al Green; nostalgia acts: the Happy Together Tour, the Yacht Rock Revue; and still others who were still in or just entering their prime: Reba McEntire, Kelly Clarkson, Sam Hunt, Linkin Park, Fall Out Boy, Machine Gun Kelly, Keith Urban and Panic! At the Disco.
True, the name Family Arena has grated on some ears, and because it is owned by the city of St. Charles, hackles have been raised when acts are booked that seem to clash with the venue’s putatively wholesome moniker. Lately, some city officials have seemed to simply grow weary of the place. But whatever its future, the last quarter century has seen the Family Arena stake out new territory for ºüÀêÊÓƵ-area entertainment.
— Daniel Durchholz
Joshua Grigaitis, owner of Pop’s Blue Moon
25: Pop’s Blue Moon
When Joshua Grigaitis and his father, Terry Grigaitis, took over the space at 5249 Pattison Avenue and opened Pop’s Blue Moon in 1999, it had already been a bar for years. Decades. More than a century, in fact.
It was a family-owned bar called Pop’s on the Hill and Papa Prost’s Tavern before that, dating back to 1908. The building, as well as the neighborhood around it, was constructed with wood scavenged from the 1904 World’s Fair.
So far as the Grigaitises can figure, it’s the longest continually running bar in ºüÀêÊÓƵ.
And the place hasn’t really changed that much. It’s a funky little neighborhood dive bar that fits in well with its surroundings.
“We let the neighborhood know that we weren’t going to change too much,†Joshua Grigaitis says. “We were going to keep the Pop’s’ vibe there in general, just kind of add our own little twist to it.â€
Thus the only slight alteration of the name.
It doesn’t serve food, but there is music most nights; local bands more often than not, plus the occasional touring act.
The most significant development is that, in the last five years or so, Pop’s Blue Moon has become known for serving nonalcoholic drinks as well as the usual fare. In 2019, the bar signed on to the mindful-drinking movement and went booze-free on Saturday nights. Grigaitis also started another business, the Mighty Kind non-alcoholic beverage company and Pop’s Blue Moon has become “the home base and R&D headquarters of the company,†he says.
“It’s over 30 percent of our sales now,†he adds, “and that’s just amazing for a little dive bar like us that doesn’t serve food. One hundred percent of our sales is our drinks, so for 30 percent of that to be nonalcoholic, it’s really saying a lot about what the future holds.â€
Grigaitis used to live in the shotgun-style house above the bar. His father lives there now, while he has moved next door. They bought the house on the other side of the bar and are developing a venue that will be entirely alcohol-free.
According to Grigaitis, the main thing that has sustained Pop’s Blue Moon for a quarter century is family.
“My dad has been there throughout the entire 25 years,†he says. Our entire family has contributed to this: my sisters, my mother, my brothers, my uncles. The fact that we’re family-owned and have been able to share the responsibilities over the years has helped to keep it going.â€
A block party is planned for May 18, the actual anniversary date for the bar.
— Daniel Durchholz
20: SLSO Live at the Pulitzer Series
Sometimes it’s good to move classical music outside the ºüÀêÊÓƵ Symphony Orchestra’s regular place of business. With Powell Hall under renovation, this year’s SLSO season might be considered an extreme example of that. But 20 years ago, the orchestra collaborated with the Pulitzer Arts Foundation to create a concert series that was less formal, bold in its artistic choices and performed in an intimate space.
The SLSO’s Live at the Pulitzer series brings contemporary 20th and 21st-century chamber music together with visual art pieces on display at the museum as well as the Tadao Ando-designed architecture of the building itself. In fact, the music is chosen while keeping those factors in mind.
SLSO Music Director Stéphane Denève calls the Pulitzer “very unique (due to) the atmosphere, the warmth people find getting very close to the artists and the excellent acoustics.â€
With the departure of Timothy Munro, who oversaw Live at the Pulitzer and served as the symphony’s Creative Partner from 2018 to 2022, curation of the series has been taken over by composer and Washington University Assistant Professor Christopher Stark.
SLSO President and CEO Marie-Hélène Bernard calls the series “an expression of music at a deep level. It’s very fun and most of the programming is by living composers.â€
— Daniel Durchholz
Blues City Deli in 2017
20: Blues City Deli
Blues City Deli has become such a fixture at the corner of McNair Avenue and Victor Street in Benton Park that it is hard to believe 2024 marks only the sandwich shop’s 20th anniversary.
Then again, two decades is at least one lifetime in the restaurant industry. Owner Vince “Vinnie†Valenza says the occasion feels like “a dream state at times.â€
“My love goes out to, of course, customers and this team … that has been here to keep it going for that many years,†Valenza says.
Though its menu has evolved over the past 20 years, Blues City Deli has remained true to itself, paying culinary tribute to cities along the historic Blues Highway. Customer favorites include the Benton Park sandwich (with roast beef, ham and turkey) and a classic New Orleans muffuletta.
One of the most significant menu developments since Blues City Deli’s 2004 debut was when the restaurant began roasting its own beef and smoking its own pastrami.
“Those (sandwiches) sell a lot,†Valenza says.
Valenza hopes to celebrate Blues City Deli’s 20th anniversary with some live music, possibly on the restaurant’s patio. (Regular performances stopped during the pandemic and have not resumed, in part because, he says, the restaurant is “so darn busy.â€) Customers should also keep an eye out for menu specials and merchandise that includes a Blues City Deli 20th anniversary logo.
— Ian Froeb
Holland Saltsman, (right), owner of The Novel Neighbor book store rings up gifts for Trish Kreikemeier of Shrewsbury on Wednesday, April 22, 2015. Craft items are part of the business model at the independent seller in Webster Groves. Due to community and customer dedication, many independent book stores thrive in the digital age.
10: The Novel Neighbor
Holland Saltsman’s founding of an independent bookstore 10 years ago was a leap of faith in a country that has seen many such stores close over the years.
She had researched the local market and says she “felt like what we were doing was different.†Highlighting local artists and authors, selling ºüÀêÊÓƵ merchandise along with offering special rental space continues to be a store mission.
When the Novel Neighbor opened on Big Bend Boulevard in Webster Groves, Saltsman worked almost 24-7. “You’re happy to not know what you don’t know,†she says.
She bought store furniture off Craigslist and from the Chicago Ikea. Now, the store retains some of the displays it had then, but is jammed full. It employs seven full-timers and 16 part-timers.
“We have an incredible support system in the local community,†says Grace Hagen, director of operations and inclusion. “They come here because they feel seen and welcomed and can feel a sense of community.â€
About five years ago, the store opened a nonprofit to help bring authors to underserved schools. It has 10 books clubs, summer camps for kids and space for birthday parties.
Saltsman wants to plan an anniversary celebration in the early fall. “I want a gala,†she says.
“Everything has grown, along with us.â€
— Jane Henderson
Clydesdales Asher and Prescott are newborns who have recently started their training to join the legendary Budweiser Clydesdales at Grant's Farm.
