This is one of the special places among the 108 city parks. The neighbors have fully embraced this park by creating the Lafayette Park Conservancy, a group tasked with forming and implementing a master plan for this gem of the city.
Penrose Park
Daydream #384
Closed on the warehouse...dimes became dollars and everything came together. No insurance yet, no loans. Friends and confidants landed at the right time. The ping-pong table will be 3rd floor southwest corner. The drum set is not in the basement anymore, probably near the bar now. Those chickens won't jump off the roof, right? Ride your bike to the warehouse and bring your tube amp and practice away...lock the doors...and call me if you need me. Everyone is invited. The club is open. Smoke got thick, walked to the Purple Martin for a Purple Martin and walked home safe.
(Bohemian warehouse dreams continue in Fox Park...)
Sublette Park
McDonald Park
Walking the Stan
The newest Mississippi River bridge opens to traffic February 9, 2014. This 1500' cable-stayed bridge is the 3rd largest in the United States and will divert Interstate 70 traffic off of the Poplar Street Bridge (or, Bernard F. Dickmann Bridge). It was formally named the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial bridge. Time will tell what the people will call it. To me, it'll be the Stan.
It's impressive that a massive project of this size was named for a truly good soul with local connections. And, if you ever thought St. Louis wasn't a baseball town, well then maybe this will help convince you. Stan Musial, number 6, the greatest Cardinal of all (sorry Mr. Gibson, I love you too) congrats on living a noble life and doing it right on and off the field.
This guy is an American treasure, and I think the name will stick.
I love you Stan, and will always think of you and the harmonica on opening day downtown.
photo source: cbssports.com
Throngs of people took part in a run, cycling event, ribbon cutting, parade, etc.
I just went to enjoy the scene and be around others who love life and the unique opportunity to dig in on some crazy photo opportunities.
While the temperatures were cold yet tolerable and the skies were overcast, no blue to be seen, the cameras were challenged. It was an experience to let the kids take in. And many, many others chose to do the same.
I won't get into the details of this engineering and design feat, rather I choose to keep my mouth shut and cherish the memories of a once in a lifetime experience.
There are great views of the city from newly accessible angles:
heading southerly
There is new signage:
There were tons of people from all walks of life enjoying the day and the historic moment (looks like Brooklyn on a normal day):
good job Grandpa, I hope she remembers how cool you were
that's the right idea my man
German immigrants built much of this city
God bless her
There are new river views:
And of course the star of the show:
inspiration via Vertigo
Walnut Park
KDHX in Grand Center
KDHX 88.1 FM, St. Louis' community radio station since 1987 has recently moved from it's humble studio on Magnolia Avenue in the Tower Grove East neighborhood to a spectacular new facility in Grand Center.
From this:
To this:
Inspired by the new sign that was recently installed on the building, I really wanted to see what the new studios were like and what they were able to do with the building. I am a freak for bold, artistic signage...it is big city...and I love the new KDHX sign, which utilizes parts of the Sun Theatre sign that used to adorn the front of that building. I had to see the inside after appreciating the street view.
The Sun is currently under renovation for use by the Grand Center Arts Academy and the sign was not original, so it was removed. This is just another phase of the continuing excitement and momentum in this beautiful neighborhood of Covenant Blu/Grand Center.
The "rays" were repurposed and incorporated into the KDHX sign and rumor has it the "Sun" metal and neon portion of the sign will be repurposed and installed on the Folk School of KDHX building, just down the street at 3323 Washington Avenue.
I contacted a neighbor of mine, Spencer Musselman, a DJ at KDHX on Saturday nights to see if I could get a tour:
Spencer puts a bounce in your step with Groove Grease, a full-throttle tour of raw funk, rare grooves, and African and Latin beats that will propel you late into the night. That's Groove Grease, every Saturday night from 11 until 1am.
Spencer was able to hook me up with a personal tour hosted by Chris Bay, DJ of Gold Soundz, one of my current favorites:
Not all that glitters is gold, but you can rely on Chris to separate the sonic gems from the rest. Tune in for a wide range of pop, rock and neo-folk, both old and new, and you'll find yourself with the urge to go back to those gold sounds again and again.
Chris was a gracious host and tour guide taking me through the various areas of the building including the staff offices, studios, recording space, the Stage performance area and the Magnolia Cafe (the name a tribute to the former space on Magnolia Avenue).
The studios are top shelf with the latest technology.
There are state of the art recording rooms for the DJs and show hosts to do production for their sets.
The live performance recording studio was designed to avoid right angles in the room and as a result has slightly off kilter lines that provide for a great sound and an interesting look.
kit already set up and ready to go for traveling bands
I am so energized by all the changes and can't wait to see a performance at the Stage. I understand that Pokey LaFarge recently did a show here recently and the sound was reported to be impeccable.
The space is welcoming and warm seating 144 people.
The space is intimate, yet very appealing for musicians. The stage is ADA accessible (as is the entire building) and there is a cozy green room for privacy.
KDHX will be screening music related documentaries and movies in the Stage, as a full retractable screen was installed.
There is much more space for the vast collection of vinyl and CDs.
The staff has more room to spread out and the offices were designed to be wide open and welcoming with lots of natural light.
turnbuckles brace a section of the building
The best thing about this new building is it's a place I want to hang out. I want to be here and listen to the shows I like (playing in the cafe) and enjoy a sandwich and a cold one and talk music. Chris mentioned an event called "40s and 45s" held on
Tuesdays in the Magnolia Cafe where you bring your favorite vinyl for listening, sip on a local beer, and talk music with your friends. I can relate to this on every level and will be there.
The Magnolia Cafe will open soon, with coffee, tea, local craft brews on tap and food.
The decor in the cafe is awesome with red "records" on the wall commemorating donors. There are amazing accents in the room, like a re-purposed fireproof projectionist room door from the Sun that are now tables and really cool bowling alley hardware from the Sun's 3-alley lanes re-imagined into a chandelier by the folks from Salvage City.
How many radio stations can you just hangout at and talk music and drink and socialize? This stuff is happening in St. Louis.
Thanks Spencer!
Thanks Chris!
If you want to support KDHX, you can become a member by clicking HERE. The community is growing and the results are yours to take part in. There are no space constrictions, no medium untouched, no barriers. KDHX seems stronger than ever and the future is bright.
I am so happy to see radio survive the Internet age. Growing up in KDHX's reach, it was a beacon of hope for weirdo's and music fans sick of KSHE and the stifling, horrible 1980s popular airwaves. I owe much of my soul and love of art and music to KDHX...and my heart is filled with joy to know they are surviving...growing...on the cutting edge...in my city.
Vivian and Astra Park
Tiffany Park
Mestres Park
It was placed into ordinance in 1937 and is within the LaSalle Neighborhood. The park is just south and west of the Nestle Purina campus, known to most in the area.
Terry Park
The park was placed into ordinance in 1945 and was named in honor of Dr. Robert James Terry, a man well known nationally and locally for his contributions to medical literature. He was also one of the founders of the association which later became the St. Louis Audubon Society (source).
The Cortona in the Cheltenham Neighborhood
The Cortona at Forest Park is a ~278 unit apartment complex rising in the Cheltenham neighborhood. Visible from busy streets like Oakland and Hampton Avenues, and even Interstate 64, the apartment complex is scheduled for a February, 2014 completion.
This is an exciting part of town right now as there are several large projects in the works in the Hampton/I-64 area. One is the construction of the Tri-Star Mercedes dealership that is underway. This ~45,000 square foot project is an exciting addition to the former property of Fox 2 News at Berthold and Hampton that has been abandoned and empty since they left town for the staid burbs around 2008.
image source: nextSTL
The other exciting development is the St. Louis Zoo's purchase of the former Forest Park Hospital across Hampton. The demolition of the hospital is underway right now and is making way for a 19 acre addition said to include a zoo-themed hotel, additional animal habitat and major new exhibit, pedestrian bridge and gondola going over I-64 (source).
So it is exciting to see additional housing options popping up in this part of town. Additional residents will only boost the activity seen around here. And hopefully the addition of residents and visitors will boost the happening business and entertainment district around Clayton and Tamm in Dogtown...led by my favorite soup joint in westside St. Louis at Nora's at 1136 Tamm Avenue.
I am all for infill. If we are ever going to see a gain in residents (which we haven't seen since the early-mid 20th Century), we need to meet the housing needs for a diverse set of people seeking all kinds of different lifestyles. I am of the opinion that new infill does not always need to be historic in appearance, in fact I think we need modern new designs melding with the old brick, stone and wood classics. Take UIC's work in Botanical Heights as an example.
The Botanical Heights Neighborhood
Or the many examples of quality construction and design from various eras in the Central West End.
photo source: Toby Weiss-CWE Mid-Century Modern: Lindell Boulevard
Nothing is more beautiful than the best of two era complementing each other.
We need diversity in housing that offers people modern living amenities that compete with what is available in the suburbs and newer Midwestern cities that offer much more contemporary options than St. Louis. Many people just don't like living in old buildings. They can be drafty, inefficient, laid out weird, wired with antiquated electric, etc. Some people want the newest, most efficient kitchens, baths, windows, HVAC, lighting, floor plans, etc.
I think that is what the Cortona will bring...and with some interesting finishes to give the development a modern look.
The site is not a typical neighborhood setting like you can get in most parts of town, it is part of the larger Highlands office park that exists on the spot of the former St. Louis Arena. There are a couple residential buildings called "The Lofts", a hotel and restaurant, a building housing BJC operations and two other buildings with various tennants including financial, media and construction firms, etc. A Jimmy Johns, Yoga studio and Comet Coffee and Microbakery are in the first floor facing Oakland Avenue.
I'd use this greenspace for soccer
Hampton Inn hotel
Office space with 1st floor retail
The wavy contours of the buildings are intended to emulate the roller coasters of the Highlands amusement park that once sat here.
"The Lofts"
So there will be those who'll certainly criticize this as contemporary "business park living", and I see the point, but I live in a traditional turn of the century St. Louis neighborhood and I don't have as many walkable amenities as this (yet). The location is awesome as one of the greatest urban parks in the country is across the Interstate.
The property manager for the Cortona, Mark Milford, reached out to me and gave me a sneak peek of the Cortona. He shared a lot of great info on the development, like the name which was a nod to Cortona, Italy one of Steve Brown's (Balke Brown) favorite places when he studied in Rome. Mark is a suburban St. Louis guy who'll be living here soon.
The complex was still under construction upon my visit, so I'll spare those photos.
The first floor is scheduled for completion in February, 2014 and an additional floor will come online each following month.
The building is 5 stories, sits on 4.79 acres and has many, many modern amenities including an awesome 0.5 acre center courtyard area with a pool, outdoor 24' fire table and center pit, BBQ grills, cabana with showers, bar and 3-tiered pool (lap pool, tanning ledge and hot tub). Modern stuff like USB ports on the electrical outlets, recycling and trash chutes, etc. There will be an Enterprise car share on site, and private covered/structured parking for its residents; there are 314 parking spots for the 278 units. There is a dog run, a common space for parties that overlooks the courtyard, fitness center, multi-purpose game room, etc..
future 3-tiered pool
Private cabana in background, outdoor grills/bar, social lookouts
Accordion glass opens from courtyard to social space
parking structure and dog run in the foreground
Apartments range in size from studio/1 bath 575 sq. ft. to 2 br/2 bath 1299 sq. ft. All the luxuries of modern living one would expect are here, including great views of the city to the east.
This development is coming on line about the same time as The Aventura Phase II in the Forest Park Southeast neighborhood to the east. The styles are quite a contrast. The Cortona is interesting and modern, the Aventura...well, if you pay attention to early commentary from the outspoken St. Louis lovers, you will have heard it referred to as "Straight Outta Ballwin", plastic suburban schlock, cheapest possible, a private complex closed off from the surrounding neighborhood, etc. I have chosen to keep my opinions of the Aventura off the Internet, but will gladly share if you buy me a beer.
a little bit of the burbs right here in the middle of St. Louis
Aventura phase I
The worst thing about this development is it is highly visibility along I-64 and it's lack of context in a really cool neighborhood that is on the rise and has St. Louis' beauty and soul all over it.
Anyhow, congrats to the Cortona for adding a fresh, modern element to St. Louis' new housing scene.
Sister Marie Charles Park
Marquette Park
Laclede Park
Minnie Wood Memorial Square
Beer drinkin' in St. Louis...ain't what it used to be..UPDATED 01/24/14
Update 01/24/14: Schlafly came upon my blog post and got a hold of me soon after publishing. Come week's end, I was sitting in
the Downtown West neighborhood
at the Schlafly Taproom with the CEO/Co-Founder drinking a rauchbier and talking the future of Schlafly, politics and city vs. the county and how some folks think St. Louis and Maplewood are both cool and soulful places, yet are still entirely different places still, undeniably part of the metro region. And furthermore, how others like to feel the entire County is St. Louis, and others draw the line at I-170 east to the river. It was fun.
Shared beers, debate, eye-contact and a hand shake upon parting ways are respectful communications that I cherish. And I'm thankful that we have local breweries that care enough about their legacy, reputation and future to invite STL lovers to talk about it one:one. Even if we have different ideas about what defines St. Louis, it is great to debate it and Schafly's future.
The one thing I walked away with was that Schlafly wants to stay and grow in St. Louis if the cards are in their favor.
After listening and trying to understand the situation, here's my take:
Settling down in St. Louis will be a challenge. Schlafly wants 40 acres and rail access; and, as you might expect, 40 acres don't come easy in a city this geographically small. Think about it...the south side is out of the question. Then, you are beholden to working with Paul McKee if the city gives you the shaft on the riverfront from the Patch to the Riverview neighborhood.
I wouldn't be surprised if Schlafly has a couple very simple options:
1. McKee's NorthSide
2. the St. Louis suburbs/county within the I-170 belt
I think St. Louis has an amazing brewing history. Have the suburbs of St. Louis ever had a brewery other than Schlafly in Maplewood, MO? I can't think of one, but Schlafly sits on a turning point in STL history. Build on our already rich brewing history, or move to the burbs and try to establish the new brewing culture in St. Louis County.
If Schalfy chooses St. Louis, it will be historic. If they move to the inner-ring burbs it will be historic. History will tell the story. I love being along for the ride and I hope Paul McKee and Schlafly choose St. Louis and not a tiny town in the burbs for the future of our brewing history. I hope a city that almost unanimously votes (6-1) to subsidize a local utility (Laclede Gas) to move a couple blocks within the same city to the tune of $7M can come up with incentives and a deal to keep Schlafly growing in St. Louis.
Readers, what would you like to see? Would you like to see Schlafly as a St. Louis entity, or does it not matter whether they settle down in Maryland Heights, Fenton, East St. Louis or Hillsdale? As long as they are X miles from St. Louis, is that good enough? If so, what is "x"? Secondly should a beer label bare the name of the city it is brewed in? Meaning does it matter when InBev has St. Louis, MO on the label of every Bud Light whether or not is was bottled here or Wiliamsburg, VA.; or, does it matter for craft breweries small or large to identify with a true and honest place? Is there a difference?
Viva la STL and Schlafly! Mark Groth.
_________________Original Post__________________________________
Okay, I've read that a blog post should be no longer than 800 words, but I'm off work for a few days around the holidays and I'm thinking about my list of predictions for 2014...and one of them has something to do with Schlafly's desired expansion of operations. I can't stop from ramblin' on on and on like a 60's folk poet on the potential of STL's beer scene...so this is a long post.
You may know the popular Dos Equis ads of late where you have the aged, seemingly distinguished gentlemen with the elegant Spanish-tinged accent speaking about Hemingway-like adventures...and at the end of the day when it's time for a drink...he chooses Dos Equis.
"I don't always drink beer, but when I do...it's Dos Equis..."
You get it...anyhow, like that guy I don't drink beer as much as I'd like to either...but when I do, dammit it's a local brew for this St. Louisan...but this wasn't always the case. The Dos Equis guy above is just the latest in a long line of guys schilling for the mass produced, in this case, slightly above average beers owned and produced by huge publicly traded multi-national corporations. I am not at all against Dos Equis, Budweiser or Stag or any other mass produced lager...it's just that I'm old and I want to enjoy a tasty beer these days as opposed to a cheap coldie. Beer is a celebration in middle age, not a guzzling marathon as in days of old.
So what's my call these days? Urban Chestnut...it is the greatest beer I've ever had, anywhere, anytime. I'm loving this beer. I know beer is like pizza...some people just like what they like and can't explain it in a convincing way why one is better than the other. It's so subjective and just an academic argument...but man, I love the St. Louis brewing scene. For my money, UCBC is the best call. That's not to say I don't love the great comfy cozy space and crazy delicious sandwiches and Jenga and checkers at
at 3714 Holt Avenue in the Tower Grove South neighborhood.
That's not to say I don't love the Saison from
at a bar stool in the renovated Coke syrup plant at 8125 Michigan Avenue in the Carondelet neighborhood.
That's not to say I haven't drank 8 bazillion Schlafly pale ales and pie holed countless mussels at the Downtown West Tap Room (pioneers of DTW).
brewed in St. Louis? Or Maplewood or Wisconsin...too confusing
That's not to say I don't love the wheat ale (whale) from
at 3690 Forest Park Avenue in the Midtown neighborhood.
brings a great amount of traffic to the Old Rockhouse area just north of Soulard and just south of Busch Stadium at 1220 S. 8th Street; the PiPA (an American pale ale brewed specifically for Pi) is my call when I visit Pi Pizzeria in the MX building. Many of my friends say this is the best call in town.
When I'm downtown and in the mood for a beer, I've gotta stop by
at 1409 Washington Avenue in the Downtown West neighborhood; I love how their tasting room opens up onto an alley and is tucked away from the traffic on Washington.
at 1727 Park Avenue in the Lafayette Square neighborhood is dangerously close to my house and never disappoints.
I haven't even been to all the microbrews in town:
at 6413 Clayton Avenue in the Clayton-Tamm neighborhood of Dogtown
at 721 North 2nd Street in the Downtown neighborhood on Laclede's Landing.
Point is, I love the beer culture that is brewing and crowning in St. Louis. I think we have the history, the great spaces, the momentum and the fucking chutzpah to brag, just a little (we are self deprecating folk here). Again, I've never...never...NEVER...had a better selection of beers than at UCBC. I'll tell anyone that will listen that the Czech Pilsner was the best Pilsner I've ever had...I've sat in the biergarten and yakked about it...but they don't brew it any more....this is part of the fun. They make amazing, kick ass, expensive and highly crafted beer and then pull it. Like they said in the Godfather, they keep pulling me back in.
The biergarten at Compton and Washington so reminds me of my small town Illinois upbringing in Millstadt, Smithton, Freeburg, etc complete with chat surface, yellow light bulbs strung across picnic tables with Winston and fish fry smells melding into a 1970s dream. We kids could buy beer and bring it back to Mom and Dad at the table (Sweet was playing on the a.m. radio). UCBC has the same vibe. They and Civil Life even have toys and a sandbox for kids while parents socialize. Love it.
So it's great to see UCBC expanding their operations to bring this goodness to the masses. They chose a location for their new, larger brewery in the former Renard Paper Company on Manchester Avenue in "the Grove" or Forest Park Southeast neighborhood.
They are taking a building that was formerly an uninviting distribution dead space along the hip Manchester stretch between Kingshighway and Vandeventer and are adding windows and softening the pedestrian and passer-by views along this stretch.
From this:
google street view image
To something along the lines of this:
But hey, let's not get so love struck on the newer kids on the block. Let's show some respect to our first entry into the micro brew scene in STL. It was Schlafly. They taught me how to like beer that tasted like something. They taught me that it was fun to go Downtown after 5:00 pm. At one point in my life, I said Schlafly was the best beer in a bottle.
As a point of reference, I'm no better than the common beer drinker. I'd been sneaking Hamm's from my dad's garage stash since the 1980s. But, I grew up on Natural Light from the 1980s through the 1990s (we called it "Natch" as opposed to people around here who call it Natty Light) and MGD and Busch and Red White and Blue, Stag and Beast and other worse malt liquor swills like Crazy Horse and others that I beg to forget...when I wanted to have a special night, we bought Michelob or Lowenbrau (which tasted just like the previously mentioned beers, but the T.V. commercials made you believe otherwise).
Fast forward to the early-mid 1990s when I moved to St. Louis and Schlafly was my fancy time, my gentleman's call. I felt like I was a sophisticate when I ordered Schlafly...I love them for making me want to taste something in a beer. I felt so BIG CITY when I went to the Tap Room, remember kind readers, I am a Belleville, IL product, St. Louis was a foreign and awesome place to me as a 20-something person...as foreign as some dude from Kirkwood, but I never claimed to be from St. Louis :)
Schlafly is big time now. They are the biggest micro (oxymoron?) brew in Missouri now that
Boulevard in Kansas City sold out to the Belgians
. But, I feel Schlafly is at a historical decision point.
Schlafly came on the scene around 1991 and carved out the perfect alternate niche that Sam Adams and other distributed beers of the time offered...more so, they survived the Busch's when that suburban St. Louis family still ruled the beer scene in these parts...before the Belgian In-Bev took over...when all the micros have proliferated in the wake of the big brewery becoming a global commodity vs. a locally driven American brewery.
Schlafly got bigger and bigger...they had the opportunity to expand their bottling operations in St. Louis yet chose the suburban city of Maplewood, MO, just outside the western borders of St. Louis like so many historically St. Louis companies have abandoned St. Louis for the staid burbs. I don't blame them for striking a good deal that makes economic and business sense, but Maplewood is not St. Louis and I thought this was a traditional St. Louis thing.
The St. Louis brewing history was extended outward to the burbs by Schlafly...not unlike the Busch family that eventually moved from Lindell Ave in the city to Grant's Farm and later Huntleigh, MO where the last ruling Busch still lives. If I'm not mistaken William Busch, the guy behind the Kraftig label is not a St. Louisan either and lived in Sunset Hills, MO/Grants Farm for most his childhood and in his adult years has not chosen to live in St. Louis either...but he has the opportunity to come back to St. Louis and brew his beer here instead of Wisconsin. There are amazing opportunities to set up in the original brewing community near ABI and stick his middle finger up at the Belgian's across I-55. I would support him for the simple fact that it would be an awesome "keep it local" play.
Anyhow, I let these details go. I have friends/family in Maplewood, and I get the allure, but it is NOT St. Louis (yet Schlafly falsely claims our good name...partially because no one outside of our region knows what Maplewood, or O'Fallon or any other tiny suburban enclave in the burbs is not really St. Louis by any logical, factual or otherwise stretch of the imagination.
What I'm saying, I guess, is that I hope Schlafly doubles down on St. Louis and bets on the future of St. Louis as a destination place for American brewing. They are looking to do a major expansion. I envision a beer tour someday which puts us on the map for hard core beer drinkers to visit. Can you image if Schlafly set up shop in Fenton, MO or Maryland Heights, MO or some other boring, out of the way suburban city? I wouldn't go out there. It would suck the soul from the tour. It would dilute the brand.
I dream of micro-brew tourist agency teaming with Metrobus to make tour maps of all the breweries with ride schedules publicized so people are allowed to "taste" every brewery and get a safe ride home or to the hotel. Metro could use the opportunity to teach people who don't normally use buses how to do it and people would be in a social setting and would feel more comfortable trying something new to them in a group. That would be awesome, riding from micro brew to micro brew. Midtown to Carondelet to Downtown, to Lafayette Sq...architecture and beer and St. Louis. I don't see O'Fallon or 2nd Shift or any other exurb micro brew being part of this...no soul, too far, lame-o spaces, etc. They aren't St. Louis either, and this vision would be a St. Louis Brewing Tour. Can you imagine the impact this would have for our reputation as people are taking from neighborhood to neighborhood and given a little history of each neighborhood and the brewing tradition of our forefather? The opportunity is huge.
Hey, Schlafly, you're getting bigger...move 1 was to go to Maplewood, move 2 was to go to Wisconsin...move 3 can be a further move from the home base or a huge statement to St. Louis and its brewing history. Do the right thing please. I want you guys to continue as a St. Louis entity. Wow, NorthSide would be perfect.
Stay true to the label and keep the beer brewed in the one and only St. Louis, MO beer capital of North America!
Fields Foods
Today was the grand opening of , the new full service grocery store in the Peabody-Darst-Webbe neighborhood on St. Louis' near south side.
The brand new building is located in the area known as Bohemian Hill just south of the Georgian, or former city hospital, near the intersection of Lafayette and Tucker at 1500 Lafayette Avenue.
The 37,000 square foot store includes fresh produce, floral arrangements, seafood, prepared foods, coffee, bakery, meats, dairy, wine and beer, and all the dried goods and households items you'd expect.
There are as many local selections as can be expected at this time of year. I found basil from Farmington, MO and apples from Carbondale, IL. I would expect the local selections to grow in number come the Midwestern growing season.
So I've been really looking forward to this opening. We need more choices in this part of the city as the area is truly quite diverse by all definitions. You have some of the region's wealthiest people in Lafayette Square and Soulard and you also have lots of subsidized and public housing in Peabody-Darst-Webbe, LaSalle and then of course the growing segment of working middle class areas of Fox Park, McKinley Heights, Benton Park West, Gate District, etc. The area is brimming with potential and adding food choices is a big part of anchoring the area and allowing us to build upon the recent successes in the near future.
This part of the city was deemed a "food desert" by the USDA, meaning there were not enough choices for fresh, healthy foods. This is changing. For instance, I live in Fox Park near Russell and Jefferson. As a crow flies, you have a Schnucks at Grand and Gravois that is 1.5 miles away. I rarely see neighbors here though, as opposed to the Schnucks at Kingshighway and Arsenal which is the current choice for most seeking a peaceful shopping experience. It is 2.6 miles away. Schnucks Culinaria downtown is 2.2 miles and there is a Shop-N-Save 2.7 miles away. Furthermore, a Sav-A-Lot marketplace store recently opened in the Jefferson Commons strip mall; it is 0.5 miles away. We now have the discount foods segment of the market covered as well as the typical Schnucks section covered, and now we have a higher-end choice as well. All segments of the grocery market are being covered in this crucially important part of our great city.
So what was our first impression? In short, it exceeded our expectations. Let me tell you that we are a family of five, so discount pricing is important...but we also love to cook and try to eat healthy. My biggest concerns at the grocery store are price, freshness of produce and a good mix of high end options (like cheeses, Mediterranean treats, European styled breads, good beer/wine, etc). Maybe equally important is a civilized shopping experience...you know not getting hustled in the checkout line, or just store simply having a consistently peaceful vibe as opposed to an experience rife with bad public behavior and tumultuous drama from the customers and staff.
Our biggest fear of this place was that it would be somewhere we would go to get nice stuff, but wouldn't be able to afford it as the family stock up place. That is not the case. The price point is excellent. The normal stuff is the price you would expect, without unnecessary mark ups.
If you are the market segment that can sustain the huge mark ups of "organic" foods, you have that option as well. The dairy has lots of Greek yogurt and regular yogurt options. Milk-wise, you have the typical stuff and the soy and returnable bottle stuff. Options galore!
The space itself is laid out nicely, with interesting decor and nods to the local architecture that is the ultimate draw to the area.
The seafood section looks great. And the fresh produce appeared to be reasonably priced and top quality.
There is high end stuff too, like a great Mediterranean snack area, really good European and Middle Eastern cheeses, etc.
But in almost all cases, for the staples, there are both name brand, a store brand called "Best Choice" and even a more highly discounted brand for such things as dish soap, etc.
There are plenty of enticing local selections like Companion breads, Billy Goat Chips, local beer, Park Avenue coffee, etc.
To those who so desire, you can walk in the store, hand over your shopping list to an employee, then head over to the bar for a local brew or a glass of wine. The workers will bring your cart back to you and you are ready to check out! Pretty swanky, eh? Jeeves, fetch my Cheez-It's whilst I sip on this here malbec :)
They are doing the little things well too. Nice natural lighting near the checkout lanes, they offer the NY Times and WSJ, they have plastic bag recycling drop offs, etc.
See we CAN have nice things in neighborhoods other than the Central West End. This will be my new family stock up grocer...and much more. Cheers to the fine folks at Fields Foods and welcome to the neighborhoods of the near south side!
