Nicki's Central West End Guide

The Food Pantry at Second Presbyterian Church

There is a lot to learn about the impressive Romanesque Revival Second Presbyterian Church, including its collection of Tiffany windows in the sanctuary. The Church, located at 4501 Westminster at Taylor, is currently undergoing some interior renovation, see photo above.

Some readers may be familiar with the classroom space in the lower level of the Education Building, constructed in 1930, as the polling place for two 28th Ward precincts in the CWE. It also houses a food pantry, Good Ground, which has been in existence for over thirty years. On Saturday mornings 18 to 25 families come for groceries and, here's what's unique to this pantry---samples of a healthy recipe. If the clients (who are scheduled to visit the pantry once a month) are interested, they are given the recipe and a bag full of ingredients they'll need to recreate the dish at home.

Jana Sisler and John Leo are co-directors of Good Ground Pantry. The items on the well-stocked shelves above were purchased by the volunteers using monies donated by parishioners and others. Bread-stuffs come from Panera Bread on Forest Park Blvd. which donates end-of-day items to a different organization each day.

Other donations come in the form of fresh produce. One of Second Church's parishioners purchased a share in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and donated it to Good Ground Pantry. CWE Board Member Arthur Culbert also drops off fresh produce from the community garden he and the 4th grade class from New City School cultivate on Waterman. And children at the Washington Montessori School in north St. Louis have planted a garden that benefits the pantry. Neighbors are also invited to drop off excess produce grown in their backyards, see information at end of this post.

Once a month, a nutritionist from Operation Food Search brings a healthy recipe that volunteers help Karen Buckey test and then make for sampling each Saturday. The March selection was "Friendship Soup," above, which included legumes that don't need to be soaked, a spice packet, and a bag of oyster crackers.

A spicy bean salsa was April's selection, above and below. It came with a box of cornbread mix. The volunteers shop at big box stores, or wherever they can get the best prices on the ingredients. In addition to developing the recipe, the nutritionist from Operation Food Search visits Good Ground Pantry once a month to offer advice to the clients on healthy eating. The hope is that with exposure to the good nutritious food Good Ground provides, and follow-up consultation with a nutritionist, the clients' health will improve.

There are lots of ways you can help Good Ground Pantry at Second Presbyterian Church continue its work. To volunteer by handing out samples of the healthy recipe on Saturday mornings, contact KABuckey@gmail.com. If you have excess produce growing in your backyard, bring it to Second Presbyterian Church on Saturday mornings at 9:30, or drop it off in the church office during business hours. Use the entry on the parking lot, there is a buzzer.

And once a month a group of volunteers gets together for "Table Talk," which is a chance to network over dinner. The group meets at a local restaurant--last month it was Duff's--to support a locally-owned restaurant and discuss topics such as local food sources and sustainability. Contact Karen Buckey if you'd like to join Table Talk: KABuckey@gmail.com.

Finally, donations to Good Ground Pantry can be sent to Second Presbyterian Church, 4501 Westminster, 63108. Make the check out to Good Ground Pantry.

L Photographie lands in the CWE

I wish I could take credit for the gorgeous photographs in this post, which were provided by Kristie Cromie, on the right above, co-owner with Liz Sloan, middle, of L Photographie.  Also pictured is L Photographie's Kate Hayes, left. You'll notice a huge bump-up in quality and styling on this page, and you may also realize that this post is yet another about a female-owned business located in the CWE, a theme that is beginning to have a familiar ring to it.

Liz Sloan had been an event manager in the media world before switching to photography in 2003. She serendipitously ran into Kristie Cromie, a friend from Mizzou, in their Soulard neighborhood. The friends had lost touch with each other, but decided to join forces and form L Photographie after that chance meeting. Kristie had been working as a graphic designer for the Switch Agency for 9 years, and had been dabbling in photography as a hobby. After Kristie became a mother, she decided to refocus her attention from wedding photography to concentrate on family portraits. That's when Kate Hayes, a photographer they met at a Bridal Fair, came onboard. When I observed that they all seemed to get along so well, Kristie said they think they mesh so beautifully because all three are the only girl in a family of boys, which meant they had to be tough and learn to get along. 

L Photographie is located in a building filled with small, creative entrepreneurs at 449 N. Euclid, above. Since all three women are residents of the City of St. Louis they wanted to keep their business within the city limits. "There is a perceived value to being in the CWE," Liz said. The neighborhood has a 'boutique feel' to it--and we consider ourselves to be a boutique company--it's upscale, hip, well-maintained, and has a good eclectic mix...it's just cooler to be in the CWE!" Sounds like a great tag line for an ad for the CWE to me!

When I visited the trio of photographers (shown sitting at their workstations above) Kristie said that their clients tend to be with them full circle--for 5-7 years and beyond--from engagement photos, through the wedding, and "love the dress" sessions (after the wedding, the bride wears "the dress" in a completely different way). A few years later, there are maternity and baby photos, family portraits, and perhaps a high school photo in the future.

Two of the partners are mothers of young children and try to balance family life with work, but there are still many midnight editing sessions, especially during the spring and fall. Wedding season typically spans mid-March through mid-November and even New Year's Eve.

Photography sessions include archival-quality portraits, which the photographers edit themselves, digital files, custom framing, and custom-designed albums, which are exclusive to L Photographie (not available on do-it-yourself websites such as Snapfish). Sometimes clients will say they only want to order a disc with photographs, not the proofs. L Photographie provides the proofs anyway. As Kristie said, "As professional photographers we want to keep the tradition alive and take our work to its final stage. Who knows what the technology will be in twenty years, and if discs will even be around?" When you have the actual photographs, you and your children can always pull them out to enjoy for years to come.

Wedding photography by L Photographie starts at $3,000; family photography sessions, including new baby photos, run anywhere from $700 to $1500. Kristie said that the best time to take new baby photos--which can take as much as five hours--is during the first nine days of life. That's when babies sleep most of the time (tell that to a new parent!), and are easy to "style," i.e. dress and move around.

Liz allowed that every event is "once in a lifetime," so you may as well hire a professional. I know that the photography industry is going through a huge transition, but hearing Liz describe what has happened helped clarify some of the reasons. Cameras are so good now that anyone can set up a business without actually "going into business," i.e. renting a studio, paying taxes, etc. I learned that there is a term, "shoot and burns," for this type of hobbyist, which hurts the industry as a whole.

The remaining photos in the post show a series of vignettes taken in the light-filled space L Photographie occupies on the second floor of the Consulate Building, above and below.

L Photographie, 449 N. Euclid, by appointment only. Weddings: Liz Sloan (314) 265-3786, Kate Hayes (618) 910-8671; Portraits & family photography: Kristie Cromie (314) 503-7719.

Additional street lighting in CWEN

Work has begun on the installation of 18 additional Granitoid light poles at various locations throughout the Central West End North Business District (Kingshighway to Taylor, Lindell to Washington/Olive) and 5 new poles on Pershing Place near Euclid. This work is being funded by the CWE North Special Business District and is intended to fill in spots that were not adequately covered previously.

The photo above showing one of the new light pole locations was taken outside Libby's on McPherson between Euclid and Walton Row.

In the photo above you see an example of one of the light poles that was installed next to Rothschild's in 2005.

After installation, here is a little tip: If you find that the light from one of the Granitoid fixtures shines too brightly into the window of your business or home, you can request that a "house-side shield" be added. Contact Jim Dwyer: jacomo@sbcglobal.net with location.

Meet Jennifer Ingram, The Apparel Doctor

Jennifer Ingram, above, has opened her alterations business, the Apparel Doctor, at 447 N. Euclid. Jennifer's neighborhood connection began years ago when she lived on West Pine and attended Rosati-Kain High School. When looking for a location for her business, she decided on the CWE because of its central location and the mix of residential and eclectic retail uses.

While attending SLU as a marketing major, Jennifer apprenticed at Seams Necessary on Page Avenue and fell in love with construction and alterations. She transferred to Washington University's School of Art and eventually earned a B.A. in Fashion Design. After graduation Jennifer worked as an assistant designer at May Merchandising on its private label brand.  In the small world department, a job at May Merchandising is also how Dawna Sturdivant of Borough Vintage (where the Apparel Doctor is located) found her way to St. Louis, though the two didn't know each other at the time.

After Federated Department Stores bought May Merchandising, Jennifer taught textiles, fashion merchandising and marketing courses at Sanford Brown College. Last October, Robin VerHage-Abrams the current Area Coordinator and Associate Professor in the Fashion Design program at Washington University's Sam Fox School of Art, invited Jennifer to teach design and construction to junior and senior Fashion Design majors. In addition to a work and teaching schedule most would find dizzying, Jennifer and her husband are raising three children, two-year-old twins and a four-year-old.  

Jennifer alters both men's and women's clothing. Jim and I have been extremely pleased with pieces she has altered for us. Examples of her prices are: hems $8 to $24, zippers $12 to $24, tapers $10 to $24, waist in & out (this about sums it up, doesn't it?) $10 to $14. Jennifer also makes custom clothing, including special occasion dresses for bridesmaids (she shies away from bridal gowns, as bridal jitters make her nervous). Prices depend on labor and do not include the cost of material.  Check out the Apparel Doctor's website for more information on her services, including pickup and delivery for a small mileage surcharge.

As a supporter of the "shop local" movement, Jennifer offers a discount on alterations to clothing purchased in the CWE. Just keep the tags on the clothing.

P.S. - Missing a button? Ask Dawna of Borough Vintage to show you her large collection of buttons---you're bound to find a match, or something close.

The Apparel Doctor, located inside Borough Vintage at 447 N. Euclid at Washington, Fridays from 1-6 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sun. through Thurs. by appointment, (314) 884-0739.

Steve Neels and his Arctic Cat

Entreprenurial CWEnder Steve Neels has started a snowplow business in the neighborhood called West End Plow. Last week he snapped a photo of his spiffy new Arctic Cat on Kingshighway after the first snowfall of the winter season. Steve's been hired by the CWE Business Community Improvement District (CID) to keep sidewalks within the CID District clear of snow and ice. Those hardy souls out and about on this icy Friday may have seen him earlier this evening spreading magnesium chloride on the slippery  sidewalks.

Steve specializes in clearing walkways & lots, and charges $85 an hour with a 1 hour minimum. In addition to his work in the commercial district, Steve's services could be a great resource for block associations, private streets, small condo projects, and apartment owners. When not out roaming the neighborhood on his Arctic Cat, Steve, a man of many talents, morphs into a multi-skilled small contractor offering a variety of services in the construction trades. Contact him at (636) 232-4664, or steveneels70@yahoo.com.

Meeting on closure of Field Station P. O. Thursday

My friend Kate Donnelly seems to hear the buzz as it happens. She emailed that the clerk at the Field Station Post Office mentioned that there is a meeting Thursday at the Schlafly Library on the proposed closing of that post office (see earlier post here), which is located at 625 N. Euclid.

I walked (yes, the boot is off!) over to the library to confirm the meeting, and it is indeed on the schedule---Thursday from 3 to 5 p.m.  A staff member in Senator Claire McCaskill's St. Louis office told me they are sending a representative; and I am waiting to hear back from Congressman Lacy Clay's office about whether they will also have someone in attendance. The Field Station Post Office is located in the same building as Congressman Clay's St. Louis office.

Please join me on Thursday to see what's up. The Field Station Post Office may be on the chopping block, but let's do whatever we can to save it!!

Field Station Post Office meeting this Thursday at Schlafly Library, 225 N. Euclid, 3 to 5 p.m.

A holiday happening, two additions, and a reminder

Jeweler Jennifer Walker sent this announcement for a Holiday Gift Sale she and other talented artisans are putting together at 449 N. Euclid (at Washington) this weekend. Enjoy a hot toddy and do your best to win that free gift on Friday evening!  Fri. 5 to 8 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

I am very excited to announce that at long last there is an alterations & tailoring business for both men and women in the neighborhood in the lower level of the same building, 447 N. Euclid. Jennifer Ingram, whose impressive credentials are listed on her website, has set up the Apparel Doctor inside Borough Vintage. Jennifer even offers a pick up and delivery service---imagine that!

The new alterations shop within Dawna Sturdivant's Borough Vintage (a popular haunt for locals and visitors from L.A. & N.Y.) was formerly occupied by Kelly Reding's Dauphine Restyled Vintage. Kelly has moved to the first floor of the building across from Christiane's Fine Handcrafted Jewelry.

Apparel Doctor, 447 N. Euclid, walk-in hours: Fri. 1 to 6 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., by appointment Sun. - Thurs., (314) 844-0SEW (739).

While I am at it, I am re-posting this flyer for tonight's benefit for the neighborhood's St. Louis Actors' Studio at the new consignment shop, Dazzle Me Twice. I would love to beam myself over (since I am still stuck at home) to look through Marty London's selections. Love the Actors' Studio, love a bargain!   
Finally, a notice from Nick Guzman on the Grand Opening of his quick healthy salad restaurant, Green Bean, this Saturday at 232 N. Euclid (just south of Maryland), see above.

Inspiring isn't it? New investment in the neighborhood by small business owners deserves your attention and support. Do your best to shop and dine locally this holiday season! 

Tony's Newsstand Celebrates 6th Birthday!

Photos compliments of CWEA President John Berglund

Young Jack Berglund and his sister Chloe (shown below) created signage for Tony Streckfuss in honor of his newsstand's 6th birthday. There were days last summer when Tony thought he would be forced to close his business at the corner of Euclid and Maryland. Luckily all is well--or at least better--and a celebration is in order. Those readers hungry for the news along with their four-legged sidekicks in search of a dog biscuit, can count on Tony to dish it out every day of the week. 

Tony Streckfus's Newsstand is open everyday, from very, very early in the a.m. until he decides to call it a day, corner of Euclid and Maryland.

Meet Photographer Gail Fleming

Last fall photographer Gail Fleming leased a small studio at 449 N. Euclid. She photographs her subjects on location, so the tiny space serves as a place to meet with potential clients and display her work. The Consulate Building, at the corner of Euclid and Washington, is populated with small businesses like Gail's, including fashion boutiques Borough Vintage and Calla Lily (for prom & special occasion dresses), Christiane Fine Jewelry, Jennifer Walker Jewelry, The Purple Door Salon, and Lorrice Edwards Design & Interiors.

Gail graduated from Webster University in 1998 with a Fine Arts Degree in Photography. Immediately after graduation, she started her business operating out of her home. Gail leased a space on Brentwood for a while, but when her son entered kindergarten closer to her home in South City's Francis Park Neighborhood, she re-located her business to the CWE, which was where she wanted to be all along. Gail and her husband Robert, who is Art Director of Stealth Creative downtown, met in a martial arts class.

Gail specializes in wedding and children's photography. Her customers find her through word-of-mouth and from websites such as stlouisweddings and stlwed.com. A list of her many photography awards can be found on her website. In the "most unusual wedding" category, she photographed a couple who met at a Star Trek Convention and staged their "Star Trek Wedding" at the St. Louis Science Center. The wedding party dressed in character, and the wedding cake was in the shape of---you guessed it---the Starship Enterprise.

She finds that children photograph more naturally where they are the most comfortable--- at a playground, playing in a pile of Autumn leaves, or in their own backyard. To see more of Gail's work, her price list, and calendar of available dates, check out her website here.

Gail Fleming Photography, 449 N. Euclid, (314) 518-9921.

Meet The Shine Guy

Not so many years ago there were many shoe shine stands around town--in office buildings, hotels, or tucked into doorways here and there. With the advent of more casual business attire, shine stands became more of a rarity. So it was a pleasure to discover Ewell Thomas, aka "The Shine Guy," pictured above, in the lower level of the Chase Park Plaza.

Having a stand at the Chase brings Ewell full circle from his youth. When he was 11, Ewell and a friend, Robert L. Lewis (who is now a Housing Court Judge in Boston) were given lessons and shoe shine boxes by Burt Wells, who ran the stand at the Chase many, many years ago. In Ewell's opinion, Wells was one of the best in the business. With boxes provided by Wells, the entrepreneurial friends walked up and down Easton Avenue (now Dr. Martin Luther King Dr.) and over to Gaslight Square, earning 35 or 50 cents..."whatever we could get"...for a shoe shine. When he was 16, Ewell talked himself into a busboy's position at the Chase. His brother Sylvester would eventually become the hotel's pastry chef.

In the years that followed, Ewell made his living as an ironworker and, during the 90s, as a Building Inspector for the City of St. Louis. After retirement he went back to the Chase and saw an opportunity to set up a shoe shine chair of his own. Ewell and his wife live in the neighborhood, so the hotel is just around the corner from home.

Ewell charges $7 for men's shoes, $10 to $20 for boots. Ladies pumps are $5, and ladies boots $10 to $25 depending on length. He also polishes leather tennis shoes. Ewell is open from 9 to 5 Monday thru Saturday. If you miss him, leave your shoes along with your name and phone number at Sante Health Club (they open at 5 a.m. and close late) or at Cutters, the barber shop next door. Friday morning I left a well-worn pair of shoes on Ewell's stand with my name and phone number. He called later to say they were ready, and I picked up what looked like new shoes yesterday afternoon.

Ewell Thomas, The Shine Guy, lower level of Chase Park Plaza, 212 N. Kingshighway, between Sante Health Club and Cutters (outside the entry to men's restroom), (314) 951-8641.