All Entries in the "Classic Businesses" Category
Bigfoot 4×4: A North County Original
I have to be honest, motorsports are not my thing. I don’t follow NASCAR or know anything about drag racing or motocross. And up until recently, the whole idea of monster trucks seemed…well, kind of silly to me. But that was before I went to Bigfoot 4×4. On a private tour of the Hazelwood headquarters [...]
The White Barn: a NoCo tradition for 29 years
If you’ve been to Crown Candy or Dad’s Cookies or Eat-Rite Diner, you’ll understand what I mean. Every so often, a local business sticks around long enough, and changes so little over the years, that it’s almost like you stumbled into a time warp. The food is the same. The decor is the same. And [...]
J. Goeke Produce: bigger and better
For more than 140 years, farming and produce have been the lifeblood of the Goeke family. In 1867, German immigrant Joseph Goeke began selling vegetables at St. Louis’ Union Market, a Soulard-like market that once operated at Sixth and Broadway. That same year, his brother John also entered the agricultural field, managing what the 1924 [...]
Hood’s: everything + the kitchen sink
North County is a land of resourceful bargain hunters and creative scrappers, so it’s no wonder that Hood’s was born here. The junk hunter’s paradise, founded by Ernest Hood (a Ritenour graduate) in 1952, opened its first location at 9915 St. Charles Rock Rd and has since expanded to multiple locations in three states. I’m [...]
The Glories of Pumpkinland
Thies Farm is a fun place to be in any season, but it truly shines in the fall. That’s when the 125-year-old NoCo legend hosts its annual hay-and-produce masterpiece, the clever, awesome and always delightful Pumpkinland. This year’s Pumpkinland features fun slides and mazes, lots of little nooks to crawl through, farm animals to pet, [...]
El-Mel: 48 years in NoCo
I’m a big fan of shopping locally. Whenever I can, I shop at small independent businesses instead of big chain retailers – mostly because I want to put my money back into the local community, but also because the customer service is usually way better. Luckily, North County is home to many thriving small businesses, [...]
Locations in Florissant,
Chesterfield & West Port
7/31: Lavish Design Jewelry Demo 8am-12pm, Ferguson Cycling Club Ride 9-11am, Live Music - Maple Jam Band 9-11am. ALSO 45+ vendors!
Saturdays 8am-2pm in the 2500 block of Woodson Road