Local Holiday Shopping Ideas in St. Louis, Missouri

There are two categories of people in the world: those who like to shop and those who don’t. Ok, there might also be a large group that falls somewhere in-between. My wife Kay, for example, can spend what seems to me like hours looking at two different pieces of jewelry or clothing to determine which looks best. I, on the other hand, like to browse for about twenty minutes and I’m ready to hit the road.

One thing that we both agree on is that during the holiday season the malls can be a mess. All the crowds, trying to find a parking space, long lines. Then when you think that you have found the perfect gift at one of the big box stores or chains, then you start to wonder if someone else had the same idea. Well, this year we both decided to skip the mall scene and do our holiday shopping at local independent businesses. It’s a lot more fun, less crowded, and it helps support St. Louis. Research shows that money spent at locally owned independent businesses results in 2-3 times the community reinvestment as compared to the same dollars spent at chains.

Just pick a neighborhood in St. Louis to do your local shopping. The bookstores and art galleries in the Central West End, the food shops and novelty stores in Old Webster, the eclectic shops down on The Loop, Antique Row on Cherokee Street, the clothing companies on Washington Street downtown all have their own special community charm. Here are a few interesting and special picks:

Subterranean Books (The Loop) and Left Bank Books (Central West End) have titles that you will never find at Border’s or Barnes and Noble. The owner of Macrosun (The loop and Tower Grove locations) spends several months a year traveling around Asia and the world to find the free trade items that he sells in his shops. Gringo Jones (4470 Shaw) has 8,000 sq. ft. of unique home and garden accessories. It’s a favorite haunt of interior decorators from around St. Louis.

The Hobby Station (Downtown Kirkwood) is St. Louis’ most outstanding hobby store in the heart of Kirkwood’s unique shopping district. Trains of all scales, dollhouses and miniatures, plastic planes, boats, cars, and radio controlled toys are all here. The Kerry Cottage ( 2119 Big Bend) Is the finest Irish shop in St. Louis. Under an authentic thatched roof you can find all kinds of things Irish, including fine Waterford crystal. Looking for a hat for that special someone? Check out Levine Hat Company (Washington Street downtown) The world’s largest hat company offers a grand selection of dress and casual hats and caps for men and women. Want something a little more esoteric and spiritual?

Check out Pathways(11419 Concord Village Ave.) St. Louis’ largest New Age book and gift store has a large selection of New Age and Occult books as well as gifts that range in price from under $10.00 to over $100.00. They also have classes and discussion groups every month that are either free or at little cost. And finally, if you have any Grateful Dead fans on your list, get them a couple of gift certificates to The Grateful Inn ( 7336 Manchester Rd. ) The Inn features plenty of jam band music from guys in tie-dyed clothing and food such as black pepper-and hemp-seed encrusted Ahi tuna, hemp oil pizza, and hemp garden salad. You can even buy hemp clothing and hemp lotion and shampoo there.