Nancy Kaiser McGee had the idea of opening an activewear boutique when she retired in Florida. But then, she thought, why wait? Fun in the Sun Sports and Leisure opens in Downtown Kirkwood Friday. The activewear boutique at 121 N. Kirkwood Rd. brings coastal style and exercise fashion to a demographic of consumers that no one knows better than McGee. She is her customer, an area mom who not only lives an active lifestyle but supports her family’s activities. McGee, her husband and children live in Glendale and her kids attend Kirkwood schools. “The response has been overwhelming from everyone…

Locally owned and operated, Urban Roots Garden Center opened seven weeks ago and already is receiving buzz for its style and inventory. Patch sat down with owner Jenniffer Elliott to talk about the business at 915 S. Kirkwood Rd. Patch: We love the name “Urban Roots.” Where did it come from? Elliott: We knew we wanted our tagline to be “Setting Roots in Our Community.” It was important to us to really participate in helping green Kirkwood. We had several different names, so we decided to have a party with family and friends and Urban Roots won. Patch: So how does a garden center set roots in …

We sat down at the bar with Kirkwood Station Brewing Company Brewmaster Dave Johnson to discuss his latest creation and what's in store for the restaurant's taps. The latest release from Kirkwood Station is a Rye APA (RAPA). The beer has been at the restaurant for the past two weeks. "It's a really hoppy pale ale. The hops shine through a little more than an IPA because of the malts," Johnson said. Malted rye is substituted for 15 percent of the barley in the brewing process. The rye malt has a dry, spicy finish, according to Johnson who has served as the Kirkwood Station brewmaster for the …

St. Louis' own Jilly's Cupcake Bar was named one of the top 10 places in the U.S. to get a gourmet cupcake by USA Today. Justin Willman, host of Cupcake Wars on Food Network, shared his favorite cupcakes from his travels. Tops on his list is Jilly's Reese's Chunkage, a half-pound cupcake. According to Willman, the cupcake is filled with peanut butter mousse and chocolate fudge ganache, topped with peanut butter and chocolate butter cream, and finished with chunks of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. "It's pretty epic," he said in the story. Earlier this year, the beloved cupcake shop expanded to …

According to St. Louis business news and gossip site WhoLou.net, Local Harvest Cafe plans to open a Kirkwood location this summer at the retail space formerly occupied by McDonnell's Market Place. Kirkwood Mayor Art McDonnell told WhoLou.net that he has reached a lease agreement with Local Harvest Cafe co-founder Maddie Earnest and a group of investors. Pending approval from the Kirkwood Zoning Commission in April, McDonnell said the group intends to operate as a grocery store and cafe and is looking to open in July or early August. To read this article in its entirety, visit WhoLou.net.

A Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe is expected to open at Kirkwood Station Plaza in the retail space formerly occupied by SanSai Japanese Grill the week of April 30. The storefront with patio seating will be open Sunday-Thursday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 12 a.m. Pickleman's will deliver to the Kirkwood area from 11 a.m. to close everyday and is now hiring for all positions. Kirkwood Patch put questions to owner Nick Julian about the newest Downtown Kirkwood eatery. 1. Kirkwood Station Plaza has seen turnover in restaurant leases. Why did you pick the location to open a …

Erin Meckfessel helps families navigate one of life's most profound experiences, and she does it all from her Kirkwood home. The experienced nanny launched Pickles & Ice Cream, a St. Louis-based baby planning service, last fall. She is the company's only employee. “When you call the number, you get me,” she said with pride.Her clients are sometimes well established moms, often lawyers and doctors who are having their first baby, and who are overwhelmed by the experience.Meckfessel is the calming voice in a sea of storms and chaos. “You might call me the filler-inner for the families,” she …

The Kirkwood City Council last week approved a special use exception permit for a new restaurant in Kirkwood, whose owner says will give residents a “healthier alternative to what’s around.”Gregory Owens, of Des Peres, said he will open HotPot Smoothie Shop, a cafe that will offer organic, vegan and vegetarian options, sometime in May. The eatery will be located at 11215 Manchester Rd., which used to house a pottery studio.“I’ve always wanted to have a place where my family, my children, could go and eat good quality, healthy food that was also tasty,” said Owens, who worked as a chef in …

The Kirkwood Wal-Mart will unveil its full-line of groceries and other additions to the store Wednesday morning during a brief ribbon cutting ceremony. In addition to now offering a full-line of groceries, the expansion brings a new layout and updated design to the store. “The layout of the store is easy to navigate, which will save customers time as they shop for everyday necessities at our unbeatable prices,” said store manager Chet Chapman. “By grouping the products that our customers most often purchase we are making one-stop shopping even easier.” The new layout includes wider aisles, …

Kirkwood residents who shop at the year-old fair trade boutique Rosemary Grove may already know owner Sarah Wood as a human-rights supporter and businesswoman. But Kirkwood Patch has two descriptors to add to the list: animal lover and world traveler. “My passion is animals and has been with me since I was a child,” Wood said from her Kirkwood boutique. “A lot of people were questioning me, like, ‘Why would you go to Africa?’ and I was like, ‘Why would you not!’” Wood went on a photo safari in South Africa in February, expanding on her Kirkwood store’s founding principles of equality and …

When visitors to PEAK Physique step inside Kirkwood's newest gym, it's likely that they're going to see some equipment that will elicit a double take. Co-owners Jamie Speiser and Damien Belgeri selected every piece of equipment in the Downtown Kirkwood fitness facility, and chiropractic consideration was a huge motivator in what would be housed in the gym.  "When a lot of people see our belt squat, they say they've never heard of it," Speiser said, adding that PEAK Physique is the only gym in St. Louis to have the apparatus. The hip belt squat at PEAK Physique, decompresses the spine and …

Kirkwood-Des Peres Area Chamber member Melissa Dodd-Ruesing is like a superhero. By day she is a mild-mannered physical therapist assisting patients with their health and wellness. By night she becomes Chef Mel. She dons her Chef Mel shirt and apron and mixes up delicious concoctions in her kitchen bringing tasty goodness to the citizens of St. Louis. In other words, she’s determined and works hard both day and night to make her business a success.  It all started from a dream she had when she was five years old. “I remember the dream so vividly. In it, I was going to grow up and own a …

Three bodybuilders have chosen Kirkwood to launch a gym that they are confident will stand apart from other St. Louis fitness facilities. PEAK Physique opened Dec. 15 at the prime Downtown Kirkwood location of 200 S. Kirkwood Rd, but buzz about the facility preceded its unveiling. The gym sold more than 100 memberships before opening and has already accrued 520 facebook fans. The independetnly owned gym is the brainchild of co-owners, business partners and bodybuilders Jamie Speiser, Damien Belgeri and Kenny Reilly. Speiser says one of the key philosophies behind PEAK Physique is to bring …

Sam Abdallah opened Kirkwood Deli and Grocery six months ago with a unique menu of sandwiches, hot dogs and gyros. His big plans didn’t end there, however. Last week Kirkwood Deli and Grocery rolled out new menu items and a delivery service, just in time for the cold temperatures.  “We are proud of our menu and our customers really like our food, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t keep modifying,” said Abdallah, who unveiled a selection of four new soups last week and plans to add five new sandwiches within a month. “The soups are priced well and (are) delicious flavors,” Abdallah said. The …

We all know Majic Market as a culinary Kirkwood institution, but the now the market is extending its reach overseas. The deli and convenience store is a drop-off location for a Support Our Troops Drive for the men and women of the 3175th Chemical Company based at Jefferson Barracks. The campaign is headed by All About Paws Rescue and runs through Nov. 1. For the employees of Majic Market, the drive has a special meaning. Shayne Jones, son of Majic Market manager Leigh Jones, is currently serving in Afghanistan. Collected items will be bundled as care packages to ensure troops receive items …

If you walk into Laurie's Shoes in Glendale, you’ll find a device you may have only seen at the deli counter: a number-dispensing machine. The store is not cluttered with boxes of rummaged-through shoes, but neatly arranged display models. Laurie's runs on the old-fashioned concept that customers should be waited on by knowledgeable staff who will measure feet and then bring out a selection shoes from a well-stocked backroom. Owner Mark Waldman believes that providing a high level of customer service sets his shoe stores apart from national chains. “We fit shoes, and the younger generations …

From the tiny chairs and low tables, to the gentle voice of owner Sharon Crnko and the shelves filled with simple art projects, everything at the Craft Caboose in downtown Kirkwood is just about right for the preschool crowd. Crnko, a retired teacher and longtime Kirkwood resident, opened the kids craft studio last month to give families with small children a place to create art together without spending a lot of money or worrying about the cleanup. “We’re just trying to create a happy environment,” she said. Located in the former Gift Garden space at Argonne and Kirkwood Road, the Craft …

“It starts snowing on Saturday!” That’s the news that thousands of fans of Tropical Moose have been waiting to hear through the cold and dreary winter months. The popular snow cone stands  in Kirkwood and Webster Groves will open for the season on Saturday, and that spells “summer” to devotees of the shaved ice treats, like Nora and Taylor Anderson. The Des Peres sisters estimate they visit Tropical Moose just about every other day in the summer. “It is really, really good,” said Taylor, her lips stained red with sour cherry syrup. Taylor, 10,  and Nora, 12, were first in line Tuesday when …

Strolling through the neighborhoods of Kirkwood and Webster Groves is a delight to the senses this time of year, as blooming flower beds and budding trees accentuate the eye-catching architecture of Victorian style homes. The classic style of Kirkwood and Webster Groves, as well as adjacent midsize cities, is why Derek and Kelley Burt decided to open St. Louis’ first Guier Fence in downtown Kirkwood. Temporarily located at 101 W. Argonne Drive in Kirkwood, the business is one of five Guier Fence franchises nationwide. Originally started in 1979 in Blue Springs, MO, Guier Fence is the first …