Readers’ Favorite St. Louis Commercial Streets: Euclid, South Grand, Delmar, & Cherokee

Rarely does the “unsure/no answer” option go unselected in the weekly poll, but last week the voting was higher than usual with 145 total votes and everyone had an opinion about their favorite commercial street in St. Louis. Here are the results:

Q: Pick your favorite commercial street in St. Louis city

1. Euclid (CWE) 32 [22.07%]
2. Grand (South Grand) 25 [17.24%]
3. Delmar (Loop) 23 [15.86%]
4. Cherokee Street 20 [13.79%]
5. Washington Ave 17 [11.72%]
6. Other: 11 [7.59%]
7. Manchester Ave (The Grove) 8 [5.52%]
8. Morgan Ford 5 [3.45%]
9. Locust St (Midtown Alley) 3 [2.07%]
10. N. 14th Street (Old North) 1 [0.69%]
11. Unsure/No Answer 0 [0%]

As I said in the post introducing the poll, I’m thrilled there are so many choices.

In hindsight I should’ve 1) noted I meant a commercial street with organized marketing effort  2) defined what a commercial street is and isn’t, 3) allowed 2-3 selections rather than just one, and 4) included a few of the ones below submitted by readers:

1. DeMun Neighborhood West of Clayton
2. Ivanhoe
3. Macklind
4. manchester ave
5. the Loop and South Grand tie for me
6. Castleman Circle (Shaw & Vandeventer)
7. Manchester (Maplewood)
8. Gravois
9. Mackland
10. Truman Parkway
11. Hampton Avenue

Ivanhoe & Macklind are the two I wish I had included. DeMun is an interesting area…in Clayton, not the city. Interestingly nobody added say 2nd Street in Laclede’s Landing.

How did Euclid in the CWE edge out South Grand, Delmar Loop, and Cherokee? Probably a number of factors but the main one is likely the first mover advantage. It was Euclid Ave that convinced me to move to St. Louis in 1990, at the same time the other streets were nothing like they are today.

— Steve Patterson

New Brewery Improves Alley-Like Lucas Ave

The two streets on either side of Washington Ave are basically named alleys: St. Charles St (south) and Lucas Ave (north). These may have had active businesses fronting onto them decades ago, but not so much anymore.

Alpha Brewing Co. on Lucas Ave between 14th-15th is making the back of a Washington Ave building lively.

Kudos to Alpha Brewing Co for a well-designed space that makes a positive contribution to an otherwise dreary road. If you visit just ignore the trash dumpsters behind adjacent buildings.

— Steve Patterson

Poll: What Is Your Favorite Commercial Street In St. Louis City?

When I first moved to St. Louis in 1990 my first apartment was on Lindell at Euclid Ave. At the time Euclid Ave was the most urban street in St. Louis with shops (remember Heffalumps?) and restaurants. One of my first jobs was at an antique store east of Jefferson, not much positive was happening west of Jefferson except prostitution.   Not long after I made my first trip to Crown Candy — at night. The 14th Street Pedestrian Mall seemed totally dead.

Today we have many thriving commercial streets, amazing progress is just two decades.  The poll this week asks you to pick your favorite of these, here are the choices I’ve provided:

• N. 14th St. (Old North)
• Cherokee St.
• Delmar (Loop)
• Euclid (CWE)
• Grand (South Grand)
• Locust St (Midtown Alley)
• Manchester Rd Ave (The Grove)
• Morgan Ford
• Washington Ave

If you think of another you can vote for it in the poll using the other field. The poll is in the right sidebar (desktop layout).

— Steve Patterson

Downtown Fiat Display Closed

Last month the downtown display-only showroom for Lou Fusz Fiat closed.

The store was not a licensed dealership — a costly process that involves permission from the auto manufacturer, in this case Chrysler, and usually a sizable investment — but rather a display not unlike what you might find in a shopping mall. It also enlivened a storefront downtown that had sat empty for several years, so much so that the building’s owner let Fusz occupy the space rent-free. (stltoday)

Indeed the cars inside the corner space of 1015 Locust more interesting. Once again, it is empty.

I wrote If It Sounds Too Good To Be True… in January 2012 when others were splitting hairs between “dealership” and “full-service dealership.” With a staff person and availability of test drives this was more than a simple display, though well short of a full dealership. The Missouri legislature must have thought it was too close to being a dealership and tightened up laws to clarify displays.

Of course, Lou Fusz could build an actual dealership. I could picture an urban dealership at Tucker & Cass, easily reached by downtown residents/workers and visible to the thousands that’ll come into downtown on the new I-70 bridge when it opens next year.

— Steve Patterson

New Bakery Visible To Pedestrians

It isn’t unusual for local restaurants to bake their own desserts, breads, buns, and rolls. What is unusual is to have the operation visible to pedestrians passing by on the public sidewalk!

If you can’t read the image above, here’s the gist:

1. Moved bakery from Baileys’ Range to make room for more bathrooms.
2. To make fresh-baked muffins & breakfast pastries to sell at Rooster.
3. Plan to function as a small independent baker, selling baked goods (breads, pastries) at Rooster.

Baileys’ Restaurants family includes: Baileys’ Chocolate Bar, Rooster, Bridge Tap House & Wine Bar, Baileys’ Range, the Fifth Wheel at 4 Hands Brewery, and later this year Small Batch:

Bailey’s latest endeavor will be located in the Locust Street Automotive District (a.k.a. Automotive Row), a string of buildings along Locust Street (part of what’s now known as “Midtown Alley”), former home to more than a few early-20th century automotive dealerships.

Bailey’s restaurants all have different vibes and culinary leanings. His latest is no different—and may be his most ambitious.

Small Batch will hone in on “American whiskey and bourbons, both neat and blended with a library of house blended liqueurs, bitters, tonics, and tinctures,” according to Bailey, whose email noted that “beer will also play a prominent role.”

Playing an even more prominent role will be vegetables: look for a 100-percent vegetarian menu at Small Batch, a name that could be extrapolated to connote the increasing but still limited supply of local and heirloom produce that’s in high demand in local culinary circles. (St. Louis Magazine)

I’ve begun going down 11th just so I can get glimpses of the workers creating inside. Much more interesting than some storefront spaces that are now someone’s office.

— Steve Patterson