Posted by Dawn Griffin
Shop Local Guide – St. Louis
To help you gear up for Small Business Saturday we’ve updated our Shop Local Guide for 2024. We include some of our favorite local St. Louis sources for gifts – the places our team supports frequently (not just at the holidays) when we need something special for clients, colleagues, family, and friends. The list is by no means exhaustive. It includes not just “things” but considers experiences, like gift cards to classes, workshops, and places to eat. OH – and check out our 2024 Holiday Pop-Up Guide if you are looking for local makers. So shop small. Shop local. Shop on!
HOME GOODS, FURNISHINGS, ART, and BOTANICALS
Union Studio / The Lobby*
Union Studio continues to bring all the warmth and delight you expect from co-owners Sarah Kelley and Mary Beth Bussen with The Lobby. The new location in the Delmar Maker District is spacious with a cozy Common Room where you can enjoy a snack from Union Loafers and pick up a book from the Novel Neighbor selections available. Both The Lobby and Webster Groves Union Studio locations bring to market carefully curated handmade art, jewelry, and goods from over 200 local creators. We are particularly fond of the jewelry collections, ceramics from Al Wescott and artwork from Carrie Gillen. But you will easily get lost in all the splendor of this beautiful store.
More of our favorites
- Urban Matter (Tower Grove South) – This South Grand shop has an amazing selection of goods form local and regional independent designers. A dazzling array of jewelry, candles, leather goods, and other pretties for yourself or your home. If you are overwhelmed by it all, gift cards are always a hit to this store.
- MayPop (Webster Groves) – Plants and botanical-themed gifts for the green thumb in your life.
- Forth and Home (Webster Groves) – Vintage and handmade wares to inspire beauty, hospitality, and joy at home.
- ZeeBee Market (Maplewood) – Ethical retailer selling unique handcrafted, Fair Trade, and sustainably produced gifts from around the world.
- City House Country Mouse (The Hill) – Local and garden-inspired wreaths, centerpieces, and grab-and-go bouquets. This cute shop on the hill strives to be as sustainable and environmentally-friendly as possible in their design work and purchasing choices. Many items grown in owner Kate’s Shaw backyard.
- Bowood Farms (Central West End) – Curated home & garden shop nestled in a bright and airy, renovated 1920’s industrial building turned greenhouse. Also offers workshops.
- Urban Buds (Dutchtown) – Farmer-florists supplying high quality flowers in the heart of St. Louis. Gift cards and bouquet subscriptions. Yes, please!
- Perennial Art* (Marine Villa) – Community workshop and store offers educational programming in creative reuse and sells creatively repurposed home goods and eco-friendly project supplies. The online shop has gift cards and various project supplies.
- FireCracker Press (Cherokee Street) and Central Print* (Old North) – Unique letterpress posters, prints, and stationery by local artists. Workshops available at Central Print for those creatives in your life.
- Mr. City Printing* (Online) -Boutique design studio specializing in city maps, neighborhood designs, and travel themed pieces for destinations across the world. They give back 5% of their online store profits to various St. Louis-based charities.
BOOKS & RECORDS
- Left Bank Books (Central West End) – Oldest and largest independently-owned full-line bookstore in St. Louis. Offers a full-line of new and used books, gifts, cards, magazines, toys and services.
- Novel Neighbor (Webster Groves) – Charming independent bookstore filled with gift items from local artists and cozy reading spot for the kiddos,
- Dunaway Books (Tower Grove) – The RFT calls this the best used bookstore in the city. And with almost 80,000 volumes to get lost in, they are right. Look for the Leviathan Bookstore, pop-up, temporarily located in a corner at Dunaway while searching for a permanent home.
- EyeSeeMe (University City) – You’ll find the largest collection of great African American books for children in United States
- Subterranean (University City) – Since 2000, this independent book store has offered a diverse fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Plenty of other genres too.
- The Book House (Maplewood) – Independent community bookstore since 1986. Selling new, old, rare, and unusual books.
- Betty’s Books (Webster Groves) – Betty’s Books is a family-friendly, inclusive, comic and graphic novel bookstore in Webster Groves.
- Planet Score Records (Maplewood) – Well-curated collection of vinyl along with a nice selection of CDs, tapes, and VHS cassettes.
- Euclid Records (Webster Groves) – Selling new and used music since1981. 8,000 square feet on 2 floors!
- Vintage Vinyl (University City) – Legendary record store in The Delmar Loop
KIDS
Unique and local options for the littles in your life.
- Minifig Shop (Kirkwood) – We haven’t actually been here yet, but it sounds to good to not share. With a 2,500 square foot showroom, this shop buys, sells, and trades all things Lego including sets, minifigs, baseplates, and bulk bricks. I mean, come on!
- City Spouts (Ladue) – City Sprouts is a specialty children’s boutique offering a curated selection of the best items for children from birth to 12 years old.
- Daffodilly (Webster Groves) – Wide selection of everything a modern baby and toddler needs. Clothing, teethers, board books, and other unique items.
- The Little (Webster Groves) – “Intentional toys for magical moments” is how The Little describes itself. Carefully selected assortment of gifts, toys, and apparel that encourages creativity, exploration and wonder.
- Imagination Toys (Clayton) – The longest-running toy store in St. Louis, Imagination Toys provides high quality educational and creative toys.
PERSONAL & HOME ESSENTIALS
Besides being places for great gifts, it is important to treat yourself. Or drop a major hint to your special someone that you’d love something from one of these places.
- Herbaria (The Hill) – All-natural soaps, deodorants, moisturizers, along with home and pet cleansers. All made by hand at our shop on The Hill in St. Louis.
- SammySoap (Kirkwood) – 100% all natural skincare, home and dog products manufacturer and retailer creating jobs for adults with intellectual or developmental disorders. Tons of unique gift items
- Dharma + Dwell (Webster Groves) – Offering everyday essentials for sustainable living. Refill containers you bring or buy. Committed to zero waste.
- Blissoma (The Gate) – Independently owned. Every product in the collection is Cruelty-Free, Certified Vegan, made in-house, and represented with honesty and transparency.
- BeeNatural (Maplewood) – Woman-owned skincare line that started in Clarksville, Missouri. Focus is on natural, small batch products.
- Liberated Roots* (McKinley Heights) – Liberated Roots Collection is a lifestyle brand that provides a retail connection to Black-owned brands and culture. Shop online or at the storefront at 2216 S. Jefferson Ave.
- Morgan Ford Massage & Spa* (Webster Groves, Tower Grove and Soulard) – Gift the gift of rejuvenation! Pamper a loved one with a massage or other self-care treatment at this full service spa.
- Procure (The Foundry) – Procure by The Women’s Creative is creating space for women-owned, local brands and their consumers to lead an inspired life. Procure is a curated collection of over 25 brands with an emphasis on wellness and self-care, the Procure space is a collaborative space meant to inspire and uplift.
- Golden Gems (The Foundry, Midtown at 3108 Locust, and in West County Center) – Golden Gems is a lifestyle brand that designs and sells badass accessories, apparel, stationery goods, and home décor.
- Urban Candle Company (Southampton) – Locally designed candles that look and smell good all made from 100% soy wax. Hand-poured in the shop.
- K. Hall Studio (Brentwood & Ladue) – Handcrafted home fragrance and personal care goods. You will also find plants, clothing, children’s gifts, jewelry, home décor, and more at the Brentwood location. K. Hall brands are sold at several locations throughout the city.
- Provisions St. Louis (CWE) – Lifestyle oriented store showcasing the best in elevated, sustainable & quality goods featuring men’s & women’s apothecary, scents to elevate your environment, personal & home accessories, art books & fine gifts.
FOOD
Gift cards to restaurants are always an excellent choice. And we would be lost without these that add so much to local neighborhoods:
- Bailey’s Restaurants* (Multiple locations) – Baileys’ Restaurants gift cards never expire and are currently redeemable for dine in and carryout at all locations, including Baileys’ Chocolate Bar, Rooster, Bridge Tap House & Wine Bar, and Baileys’ Range.
- Don’t overlook the local bakeries to supply your own holiday party or for gift cards. Our favorites include: Pint Size Bakery (Clifton Heights), SweetArt Cafe (Shaw), Yolklore (Crestwood), La Patisserie Chouquette (Botanical Heights), and Nathaniel Reid (Kirkwood).
- Kakao Chocolates (Maplewood & Clayton) – What is not to love about a visit to Kakao Chocolate? Hand-dipped confections made in small batches. Perfect gifts for colleagues or little stocking stuffers for the chocolate lover in your life.
- Clementine’s Creamery (Multiple locations) – Unique small-batch ice cream flavors, including alcoholic and vegan options. They’ve expanded to multiple St. Louis neighborhoods and we couldn’t be more delighted. A Clementine’s gift card the perfect stocking-stuffer.
- SweeterCards (Online) – If you want to send more than a card but less than an overly expensive or wasteful gift, then SweeterCards is the answer. Local and lovely idea. Also can be found at Union Studio.
- The Annex and Civil Alchemy (Webster Groves) – If you are looking for exceptional gifts for foodies, these two locations have fantastic specialty food, bar, and kitchen items. A hostess gift from here will be much appreciated.
- Parker’s Table (Hi-Pointe) – Offering stellar customer service and selection of wine and specialty foods. Great spot to pick up a host/hostess gift.
- Penzey’s Spice (Maplewood) – A franchise that doesn’t feel like one. Fabulous staff and top-notch selection.
- Bijoux Handcrafted Chocolates (Webster Groves) – Gorgeous small batch chocolate jewels, sure to impress any recipient.
- Fennel Cooking Studio (Midtown) – Gift a fun and functional gift with a gift card to Fennel Cooking Studio. Lovely foodie gifts. Classes fill quickly.
CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES
- May’s Place (The Foundry) – May’s Place is a one-stop-shop for everyday vintage, slow fashion, and all things secondhand.
- Blush Boutique (Kirkwood) – Upscale boutique with a curated collection of clothing, jewelry and accessory finds.
- Retro 101/Cherry Bomb (Benton Park) – Vintage clothing, accessories and so much more.
- Black Rabbit Vintage (Benton Park) – Vintage clothing with a focus on the 1950s through the 1980s – with a commitment to inclusivity.
- STL Style House (Benton Park) – STL Style highlights the best of St. Louis with merch inspired by the best parts of St. Louis. T-shirts, flags, signs, stickers and more.
VINTAGE / ANTIQUES
- The Green Shag Market (The Hill) – Listed as Missouri’s “Best Thrift Store” by Apartment Therapy, The Green Shag Market is a unique antique mall style store with multiple vendors stocking the store with the areas greatest vintage, boho, mid-century, and antique finds.
- Treasures Aisles & Big Bend Antique Gallery (Maplewood) – Next door to each other. If you don’t come out of here with something unique, you aren’t trying very hard. LOL.
- Mesa Home (Cherokee/Benton Park) – Curated vintage, thrift and handmade goods
- The Hill Antique Market (The Hill) – Housed in a sprawling, artfully-renovated brick warehouse, The Hill Antique Market in St. Louis, Missouri, features over 75 vendors offering antique furniture, salvage, industrial fixtures, textiles, clothing, jewelry, collectibles, retro home decor and so much more!
- TFA (St. Louis Hills) – The Future Antiques specializes in all things mid century and Danish modern. Always fun.
- Warson Woods Antiques Gallery (Warson Woods) – Huge 30,000 square-foot showroom with 150 dealers. Amazing stuff in here.
- Fox and Hound Antiques (Kirkwood) – Tucked away in the heart of downtown Kirkwood is a treasure trove of fine antique furnishings, vintage home décor and goods to cherish. We always find good things here.
- Refind Room (Brentwood) / The Refind Annex (Clayton Tamm) – The Refind Room offers luxury consignment items from its Brentwood location. The Annex is an art gallery, furniture store, and mix of unique treasures and objects. Located in a 5,000 square foot warehouse, this is the place to shop mid-century modern furniture, unique vintage and 20th century finds, from fine art to estate pieces.
*These are clients of The Dawn Griffin Group. #we♥ourclients
