Business Spotlight

West County Center Extends Hours for Holiday Shopping

The mall is one of five in the greater St. Louis area that has pushed back hours through Dec. 24.

Those looking to do some last-minute shopping at West County Center have even more hours to find the perfect holiday gift. West County Center, along with four other malls owned by CBL & Associate's, has extended its hours through Monday Dec. 24. Holiday shopping hours are: Other CBL properties are: More Stories About West County Center:

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Naughty and Nice Reading for the Holidays

Holiday stories span genres at the Kirkwood Public Library. Here are eight staff picks.

It’s that time of year...the holidays are here and with them all kinds of new stories for fans of any genre! Mysteries tend to involve store Santas or poisoned holiday treats, and romances are brewing outside in the snow, where no one ever wears coats. So stop by your Kirkwood Public Library (or browse the Library’s blog) to pick up some fun and festive fiction.  Looking for ideas on decorating, baking or homemade gifts for the holidays?  You can find plenty of books that will provide help.  Remember, if you are too busy being Santa’s helper let us pull your books for you – call us (314-821-5770) or go on our website, let us know what titles you desire and we will have them waiting for you.  We even help Santa with his mail – check out the…

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Holiday 2012 Shopping Guide: Video Games

Need to find something for the gamer in your life? Check out our handy holiday shopping guide.

If you’re unfamiliar with the world of video games, stepping into the games section of a Best Buy or entering a Gamestop can be a bewildering experience. Perhaps you're a parent wanting something fun and wholesome for your kid, a girlfriend wondering what her refuses-to-grow-up boyfriend might like or a grandparent trying to impress a grandchild with your grasp of technology. Have no fear, Patch has complied a list of some the holiday’s best and biggest games, along with some recommendations for who might enjoy them. "Call of Duty: Black Ops II" $59.99, Mature (Xbox 360, Playstion 3, PC, Nintendo Wii U) – For some seasoned parents of video game-obsessed kids, this name may sound familiar, and it should. The “Call of Duty” franchise …

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Local Harvest in Kirkwood to Hold Craft Fair Saturday

Visitors to Kirkwood's newest grocer can take care of some holiday shopping while stocking up on locally sourced and organic food.

Giving Tuesday: A Chance to Give Back During the Holiday Season

St. Louis-based Gateway to Peace Museum, Habitat for Humanity and the United Way of Greater St. Louis are among the nonprofits trying to encourage people to pause in their shopping and find a way to help others.

Will donating to charity ever be as popular as shopping during the holiday season? A partnership of nonprofits hopes so. For many people, the holiday shopping marathon began on Thanksgiving Day, with some national chains opening their doors just hours after the traditional turkey dinner. Then comes Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, which has morphed into Cyber Week. Now, there's a new campaign asking you to open your wallet—Giving Tuesday. The Giving Tuesday website says the effort, coming on the heels of days devoted to consumerism, is designed "to create a national day of giving at the start of the annual holiday season. It celebrates and encourages charitable activities that support nonprofit organizations." …

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Your Holiday Light Display Could Earn $100K for Kirkwood Schools

Are you decorating your house for the holidays? Enter our "Deck the House" contest and you could win $100,000 for your local school district and $500 to pay your electric bills.

Hitting the Road This Thanksgiving? You're Not Alone

AAA is forecasting that 43.6 million people will be driving to their Thanksgiving feast. And here's some good news - gas prices are expected to drop by Thursday.

AAA projects 43.6 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. That's an increase of 0.7 percent over the 43.3 million people who traveled last year. This increase marks the fourth consecutive year of growing holiday travelers since 2008 when Thanksgiving travel fell by 25 percent. The Thanksgiving holiday travel period is defined as Wednesday, Nov. 21, to Sunday, Nov. 25. “Thanksgiving travel hit a decade low in 2008 when only 37.8 million Americans traveled,” said AAA President and CEO Robert Darbelnet in a news release. “Since that year we have seen a steady increase in the number of travelers taking to the roads and skies for the holiday. Americans continue to find ways to economize …

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Business Spotlight

Santa and Shopping Specials Tomorrow in Downtown Kirkwood

A schedule of activities and list of deals offered by Downtown Kirkwood businesses as part of this year's Holiday Walk.

The Downtown Kirkwood Special Business District is hosting it's annual Holiday Walk Saturday. Fun starts at 9:30 a.m. when Santa pulls into the Kirkwood Train Station, and Downtown Kirkwood merchants are offering a ton of deals. Here's a look at the Saturday Holiday Walk specials and with information provided by merchants. Alpine Shop: 20% Off Almost Everything in the Store this Saturday for the Holiday Walk. (All weekend long, too!) BLUSH Boutique: 30% off all Outerwear & serving complimentary Apple Cider & Gingerbread cookies Brando Jewelry and Fine Handgoods: To keep your shopping peppy, we will be serving hot Cafe Kaldi (mmm... yummy...) in-store 10am-6pm. To keep your wee ones happy, we'll be making Paper Snowflakes! In-store with …

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Celebrate the Holidays at Missouri Botanical Garden

The Gardenland Express is only one of a wide variety of events marking the holiday season. Traditional celebrations for Chanukah, Christmas and Kwanzaa are also planned.

The Missouri Botanical Garden outlined its season-long schedule of holiday events in a news release recently. Included in the holiday events are flora, toy trains, holiday crafts and plenty of holiday decorations. The Missouri Botanical Garden is sharing the spirit of the holiday season with an abundance of festivities to create lasting memories for young and old alike. Enjoy the return of the colorful Gardenland Express holiday flower and train show, two weekends filled with holiday carols and visits with Santa, holiday décor, traditional Chanukah and Kwanzaa celebrations, and more. For detailed information on the complete lineup of holiday happenings, visit the Garden's website. Gardenland Express The annual Gardenland Express holiday …

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