So where do the owners of one of St. Louis's best gift shops shop for gifts? See where Golden Gems founders Amanda & Susan recommend for Cherokee Street spots to shop for something for your friends, or yourself!
Sleek. Discreet. Luscious. When you enter 13th and Canna, you’ll catch a whiff of luxury—and absolutely nothing else.
After all, that’s the point.
Co-founders Tameca Burnett and Sherrell Hall launched 13th and Canna, their innovative line of odor-eliminating luxury candles, in 2021. While the line was specifically inspired by the need to cover the smell of cannabis, 13th and Canna candles also eliminate unpleasant smells left by cigarettes, cigars, pets, and cooking.
In their place, the candles leave scrumptious scents like lavender, sage, and musk.
The shop celebrated the grand opening of its Cherokee Street store in July 2023. The business was inspired by Hall’s own experience. After turning to cannabis to cope with PTSD, she found herself struggling with eliminating the smell in her home. She mentioned this to friend and business partner Burnett, a self-described a candle lover. From there, 13th and Canna was born; the partners originally operated out of Hall’s downtown loft apartment.
Unlike competitor candles, 13th and Canna products don’t just eliminate odors; they put out their own luscious and long-lasting smells. That’s just part of what sets their line of candles apart.
“There is a specially formulated molecule that goes inside of our fragrance, and instead of masking the odor, it actually grabs it out of the air,” Hall said. “Competitors just started making scented candles; when you’d light those candles, it would eliminate the odor but leave no refreshing fragrance.”
The candles are luxury, boasting a three-wick for long burning and a richer scent, In addition, 13th and Canna candles burn well, keep a low flame, and come in a reusable jar with fire-proof lids. Users can clean out the jar once they’ve burned the candle, and use it to discreetly hold cannabis paraphernalia and other items.
“We just try to create something that we would want to burn in our own home and is also effective to eliminate those smoke odors,” Burnett said. “We wanted something that looks gorgeous in the home, and I feel like our candles set us apart.”
Also unique to the brand is their name, which Burnett and Hall came up with after copious brainstorming and conversation. The team wanted to nod to cannabis in the name (thus, Canna), and the number thirteen was personally significant to Burnett—her late husband’s birthday is April 13, and he wore the number on all of his sports jerseys throughout his life.
Burnett and Hall stylized the logo as two street signs—13th and Canna streets—meeting together at an intersection. A physical intersection sign sits in their shop as a reminder of this mindset, and of the name that’s so meaningful to them both.
“We think of it as a meeting place,” Burnett said. “Like an intersection; and it’s the intersection between me and her as well.”
It’s hard not to look at the success of 13th and Canna as a story about entrepreneurship, but also about the power of friendship.
Burnett and Hall met at Lindenwood University 20 years ago, where they were studying accounting and fashion respectively. They hit it off and have been close since.
“We’ve always been friends, but I think our relationship took a turn when my husband passed away,” Burnett said. “She’s been there ever since. She would take me out to go and have fun. This is my girl, and when I was going through my issues, she was there for me.”
In addition to spending time together, the two talked about their entrepreneurial spirits. Burnett says Hall is more likely to take a leap, while she prefers a measured approach.
It’s a winning combo.
“She was always encouraging me in my other business to just jump out on faith, to get out there and do it or I’d never be successful,” Burnett said of Hall. “I was like, ‘Well, why not do it together?’"
The partnership has resulted in a thriving business, with even more plans to expand on the horizon. 13th and Canna currently features five luxury scents, as well as decor, custom apparel, candle snuffers, and more. Soon to come are room and car sprays, as well as cannabis baking classes hosted in the store.
“Our product is 100% guaranteed,” Hall said. “We stand by our product. For me, I want us to continue to get more exposure, to do more partnerships with dispensaries; we are even looking to expand and maybe add a different person to our team.”
No matter the plan, quality will always be at the forefront.
“When we’re producing these different fragrances, it takes us a while to make sure you have a quality product; we don’t want flames going crazy, we want to make sure you’re smelling that fragrance from beginning to end,” Hall said. “We want to make sure there is a good quality product. As well as with our glass vessels, which you can wash out and reuse because it locks and seals the smell of any paraphernalia in; when you’re purchasing a candle from us, you’re purchasing something that you can recycle and reuse.”
Burnett and Hall love the whole line, which they say are designed to be conversation starters, but both have their special favorite scents. For Burnett, it’s Night Cap, which features notes of mahogany and musk—a smell she describes as perfect for someone who wants Idris Elba in their house. For Hall, it’s a new fragrance: Nina Noir, which comes out soon and features white floral, citrus, and herb.
The Cherokee Street shop has only been open for a few months, but the co-founders already love the neighborhood. Hall even grew up here.
“Small businesses are gravitating toward Cherokee Street,” Burnett said. “The business owners and to support one another because we all have the same goal.”
Hall agreed. “This neighborhood is becoming more diverse, more of a mixture of things, and we want to be a part of it,” she said.
In addition to the brick and mortar store at 2731 Cherokee, 13th and Canna products can be found at multiple St. Louis area businesses including Swade dispensaries, 314 Garden Supply, Social Treats on Washington Avenue, Elevate Dispensary, and SOHA Smoke Shop.
Stop by the store to find your new favorite scent, chat with the co-founders, and be a part of the future of the women-owned 4/20 industry in St. Louis.
That future is right at the intersection of 13th and Canna.
13th and Canna is open at 2731 Cherokee. Hours are Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 5 pm. Visit them online at www.13thandcanna.com.
There’s a new something sweet on Cherokee Street.
And not just sweet. Savory, too. And meaty, cheesy, chocolatey, rich, and any other word you can think of to describe the mouthwatering menu at Crepes and Treats.
While the family-owned shop is new to Cherokee Street and celebrating their grand opening at 2752 Cherokee St at the corner of California on Saturday June 17th, owner and pastry chef Saul Juarez is far from new at baking up delicious treat.
Crepes and Treats was born when Juarez, who was the pastry chef at the Angad Arts Hotel on Grand, lost his job due to COVID-19. Hotel traffic was down, hospitality groups weren’t hiring, and Juarez decided it was time for him to strike out on his own. After all, people needed something special in stressful times; and Juarez felt compelled to create.
“Instead of being part of the problem, we made the decision to be part of the solution by opening Crepes and Treats,” Juarez said.
Although opening a new business during a pandemic was challenging, the actual work was never the problem. Juarez has found peace, meaning, and belonging in the kitchen his whole life.
“As a little boy I got my first job at a bakery, so since then the love for baking has been in my soul!” he said.
Before opening the Cherokee Street storefront, Juarez and his family operated Crepes and Treats out of Urban Eats, the South St. Louis-based food incubator, community kitchen, and marketplace. While Juarez credits Urban Eats with making his vision possible, the move to Cherokee Street came when Crepes and Treats was ready to expand.
“We wanted to open the store to have more options than just crepes, and to offer our guests the opportunity to enjoy some hot and cold plated desserts as well,” he said. “We now have a larger space, and a corner spot with huge windows that brightens the dining room and allows diners to watch the fun on Cherokee Street while they eat.”
The neighborhood’s lively atmosphere has been exciting for Juarez and his family, who love Cherokee Street’s one-of-a-kind character.
“The business owners and neighborhood organizers are friendly and take the idea of community to heart,” he said. “Cherokee Street is very busy with many new businesses and monthly events. There’s always something new going on. You can find a little bit of everything on Cherokee, and something different every time you visit. The Street is full of art, culture, flavors, and friendly people."
Crepes and Treats’ enticing business model, which includes a menu of sweet and savory crepes as well as the option to build your own, has been a welcome addition to the Cherokee Street roster of fantastic eateries.
“The community has been great!” Juarez said. “We are working on spreading our name as well as our new menu. Our favorite part is seeing how happy our customers are after enjoying a meal with us. We welcome everyone as if they were coming to our home kitchen, and we listen to our guests’ feedback to keep learning where we can grow.”
While the shop is just getting started on Cherokee, Juarez is already looking toward the future. He hopes to grow Crepes and Treats’ roster of devoted fans, add more pastry items to his offerings, and expand the store’s breakfast and lunch menu. But in the meantime, he says, come by for a crepe: they’re simple, delicious, and perfect for everyone’s taste—especially if you’ve never tried one before.
“I’d like to invite everybody to give us the opportunity to serve you some great crepes and house-made desserts,” Juarez said. “Everything we make, we make it with love. As we say, ‘Mi casa es tu casa,’ and now you are welcome to our kitchen.
And a special hint from the owner himself? Try the cinnamon roll crepe, he says. It’s a must.
Learn more about Crepes and Treats on Instagram, or stop by the store at 2752 Cherokee Street. Open Thursday and Friday from 10am-6pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 9am-6pm
Sol Touch Massage and Reiki has recently opened at 3325 Cherokee at Louisiana, and owner Isabela is excited to bring her special brand of community-forward healing to the South St. Louis community. The new business lets her focus on what she loves most: healing others through massage, reiki, and acknowledging both the physical and energy bodies.
Isabela has long been a neighborhood mainstay. For the past two years, she’s organized a market for Black and Brown creators at Cherokee and Texas Street, where she’s also sold her handmade jewelry.
While she still loves that side of work, Isabela decided to venture into massage and sought training at the Healing Arts Center—supported by her mother, who is also a healer. She graduated from the program in 2021.
“My mom is my biggest supporter, and raised me to be in touch with my spirituality and to be in tune with the universe,” Isabela said. “That drew me in.”
Isabela’s focus is on massage as a healing modality, but as of this year she is also Level 2 Reiki certified.
She initially intended to find work as a massage therapist at an existing massage therapy company, imagining that it would take a few years before she was ready to branch out on her own. She wasn’t even actively looking when she found it: the perfect property, located on Cherokee Street.
“I went to look at it, and it was perfect,” she said. “I was scared to commit. What if people didn’t like me and I wasn’t as good as I thought I was? But I had a lot of support from my friends and family that said, ‘You’ve got to do it. You have to accept your blessings as they come.”
Sol Touch, and Isabela herself, have received rave reviews since opening. People love her technical skills, her calmness, and her expertise. But they also embrace the biggest thing that sets Sol Touch apart: how much it gives back.
Sol Touch offers a unique Pay It Forward program, which allows customers to donate any amount toward someone else’s massage or Reiki services. The goal, Isabela says, is to establish a fund to cover healing for those in need. In addition to that program, she offers highly discounted services to those who can’t afford to pay full price.
“I just want to remain accessible to everyone, so if there’s someone that has a little to spare, then it can go to someone else who doesn’t,” she said. “I’ve been able to help out with discounts for those struggling with chronic pain and things like that.”
Beyond her charitable initiatives, Isabela has a clear mission for Sol Touch: to represent a safe space for everyone, but specifically for marginalized groups.
“I’m a safe space for everyone in the LGBTQ+ group, plus-size bodies, people with chronic pain, chronic illness, disabilities, surgeries, those dealing with postpartum,” she said. “All of these things. Especially since I haven’t been to a space that’s woman-owned, woman of color owned; because I myself am Latina and I’m disabled and I’ve dealt with my mental health journey. To be able to have a space that I myself would go to is really important. That’s what I stand for: to be a safe space where there aren’t very many.”
That same ethos helped her come up with the Sol Touch name, which represents the duality of the Spanish word sol (sun) and the English-sounding version, soul.
“I have a very close connection to the Sun and that idea of ever-lasting burning energy, and also your soul as a human being,” she said. “When I’m physically doing massage, I am physically touching somebody but also touching their emotional and spiritual body with energy.”
Isabela was also born, raised, and still lives on the south side, which makes her success in the area even sweeter. “I felt it was meant to be,” she said. “I love the diversity of it, especially recently with the amount of Black and Brown business owners opening up and getting traction. A lot of young people, a lot more community events. The area is blossoming.”
That’s why her message to anyone is just to call. She’ll answer questions, and help ease away any nervousness around massage or Reiki. She’ll set up a payment plan, or work with you on trades on an as-needed basis. Just call her for details.
Above all, she wants to give back some of the love and support the neighborhood has given her.
“I’m not surprised,” she said. “But I’m very thankful.”
Learn more about Isabela on Instagram, and find Sol Touch appointments online. Keep an eye on her Instagram page for monthly flash sales, $10 discounts, last-minute availability, and other specials.
What do artisan home goods, metaphysical tools, and custom hand-made leather have in
common?
At first glance, says Elk & Vine owner and artist Vince Walzberg, not much. But the common thread that ties the offerings of his new shop together is empowerment: to be yourself, to make your space reflect your personality, to explore your sexuality, to dabble in the spiritual world. Elk & Vine opened at 3411 California Ave, just off Cherokee Street, in December 2022. The venture began as a small Etsy store, then a booth at the Soulard Farmers Market, and now occupies the towering historic space of the former Hat Mart.
“We offer just a little bit of everything,” Walzberg said. “We specialize in more artisan-style stuff, and try to make everything in house as much as humanly possible. The core of the business is that I want to instill a sense of wonder in anyone that walks in; whether it’s coming in and purchasing a simple air plant, to buying a coffee mug handmade by one of my friends that was a local artist, to picking up books that explore your spirituality.”
Leather work is also a backbone of the business—much of it handmade by Walzberg—from journals and flasks to kinkwear.
“I’ve taken everything that I absolutely love and just threw it into a store,” Walzberg said. “It’s about being able to explore yourself and everything this world has to offer. It’s about imbuing a sense of wonder and making it super accessible to anyone that walks in.”
Creating a welcoming atmosphere is important to Walzberg, who is a transplant to the St. Louis area. The California native has lived all over the country, from San Francisco to Georgia to Washington D.C. to Nashville. When his best friend moved to St. Louis, he decided to follow suit.
“I was able to spend about a month sleeping on her couch and exploring the city,” Walzberg said. “I quickly identified South City as what I wanted to be a part of. My friend was still finding her way in St. Louis, so while she was at work, I’d run around and find things for us to explore in helping her fall in love with the city, I absolutely fell in love with the city.”
His reasons for loving his new hometown range from the attractions to the events to the art. “St. Louis was created in the time period where so much more focus was put on a well-rounded life, so our zoo and parks and festivities are just so readily available,” Walzberg said. “All the festivities, and parades, and different pockets of culture. Really fantastic food, incredible artwork; I realized I would love the person I would become living in St. Louis.”
Cherokee Street in particular resonated with Walzberg’s love of culture and art; and when it came time to make his dream of owning a brick and mortar shop a reality, the neighborhood was a no-brainer.
“I wouldn’t personally live anywhere else in St. Louis,” he said. “I ended up working at the Fortune Teller Bar for about two years until the pandemic as a fortune teller and a bartender. I knew the Street really well, and knew the culture. I love all of the art galleries. I love the pockets of different things going on. And I love the heart of Latino culture and everything that has to offer blended beautifully with grunge and elevated art.”
Walzberg credits the pulse of the neighborhood for inspiring him to expand Elk & Vine’s offerings; his involvement in Cherokee Street helps him gauge what the community is looking for from a new business, which in turn helps guide the direction he takes the store. But he’s just as hopeful that Elk & Vine can give back too.
“One of the biggest notes I’ve taken over the years is the importance of allowing a company to grow bigger than you,” he said. “While I want to control and maintain a cohesive brand that I can completely stand behind, my goal is to become a community resource more than anything. A safe space where people can be seen exactly as they are. I want to learn from the communities around me; tell me if I am providing services wrong, tell me what you need. Tell me how I can bring visibility and accessibility to the communities I serve.”
Elk & Vine also wears the mantle of occupying a historic space. The 3411 Cherokee space was once known as Hat Mart, opened by Henry Maass in 1915. The Hat Mart grew to become a staple for shoppers in the market for hats, wedding veils, or accessories, in the days when Cherokee Street was dubbed "the Downtown of the Southside". When Walzberg bought the building, it had been sitting vacant for over a decade.
“The building was a hat shop, but all production was done inside the space,” Walzberg said. “They also offered classes…I’ve been told by people that they remembered taking sewing classes there as a kid. It’s been fun. Our goal is to honor and work with the building as much as possible in our own way.”
Embracing and extending the Hat Mart legacy means that Walzberg kept the original back rooms as a full teaching studio, where he recently launched classes in ceramics, self love, and tarot. Just like the Hat Mart before, Walzberg is hopeful Elk & Vine can serve as a resource for the community by teaching hands-on making.
That’s why Walberg’s goals for the new business are community forward: expand to feature more local artists; hire more employees to allow him time to grow as a leather artist; create the perfect blend between retail shop and community resource.
“We hope to be the hub and nexus for multiple points in the community, including helping other artists and giving them a larger platform,” he said. “We’re a queer-owned business, and being that, we are incredibly inclusive. Our goal is to offer that safe space to explore yourself.”
If that means purchasing a custom leather BDSM piece, Walzberg will sit down with you and help design something that serves your own unique body and sexuality. If it’s coming in for home goods, he’ll tell you the story of the artist that crafted each piece with care. If it’s for spiritual needs, he’ll share his metaphysical knowledge and help you get started.
But the common thread? There is something for everyone at Elk & Vine.
Visit Elk & Vine at 3411 California Ave (see their website for up to date hours). Or, follow them on Instagram.
What if the resources that are available to communities when disaster strikes and things are at their worst were also available year round to help our communities become their best?
Nicholas Oberfrank, or Obie as he’s known around Cherokee Street, has seen the worst. The Florida and New Jersey native is the founder and current president of the Cherokee Street Tool Library, which officially opened its doors in September 2022 at 3355 California, just north of Cherokee Street. However, his background is in seasonal forestry and disaster response for nonprofits —and it was while aiding the recovery efforts after Hurricane Michael that the idea for the Tool Library was born.
“We had over 100 people out in the field in four different counties in Florida, and it was very stressful,” Oberfrank said. “I remember seeing there for the first time a non-profit called ToolBank, which was basically a tool library for non-profits that was only active during disasters. I remember looking at it like, ‘Wow, why don’t we do this everywhere just for regular people?’”
Now, the Cherokee Street Tool Library is one of the few—out of, Obie estimates, around 45—tool banks in the nation. The model is simple: the community owns shared tools and equipment, and neighbors are welcome to borrow whatever they need.
Oberfrank has been in St. Louis on and off since the second half of 2018. While he came here for work, he says he instantly fell in love with the city. He now lives in Gravois Park, near the Cherokee Street area.
“I’d always promised myself that when I did settle down somewhere, I’d be as active as possible in the community,” he said. “After doing some research into the area, I noticed lots of first-time homeowners, lots of craftspeople, lots of vacant buildings, lots of community improvement needing to be done. The more research I did, I realized St. Louis needed this—that Cherokee Street specifically needed this.”
Oberfrank went on a road trip, visiting tool libraries throughout the country to learn what he could. Since then, him and the other co-founders Jason O’Malley and Matt Temple have replicated other cities’ success—and put their own spin on what a Tool Library looks like.
How It Works:
Want to borrow an angle grinder or need a couple extra hand clamps for a project? The Tool Library operates on a membership model. Membership is open to St. Louis City residents, 18 years or older for a membership fee of $50 a year. Members can borrow up to 8 tools at a time for a two week period before they need to be returned, or use the library space to work on personal projects.
The tool inventory is varied — and growing, offering everything from hand tools, specialty power tools, and guidebooks for masonry or carpentry (not to mention a surprising catalog of board games).
Borrowing Tools Is Just the Beginning
In addition to rentals, Cherokee Tool Library also offers different workshops and community-focused events each month: do-it-yourself home repair lessons, basic tuck pointing and electrical seminars, and terrarium building; even pop-up concerts, board game nights, and community potlucks.
“Anything to bring in as large a group as possible to this space every single month,” Oberfrank said. “The tools and equipment and knowledge are very, very cool, but the real special thing is, of course, the community we are building. The people getting to know each other and sharing their knowledge and passions and projects.”
Since its inception, the Tool Library has gone above and beyond Oberfrank’s expectations in terms of tool inventory, membership numbers, and community engagement—all factors that affirm his choice of Cherokee Street as the project’s venue.
“Cherokee Street and South St. Louis has a large art scene, and has a lot of do-it-yourself people and culture,” Oberfrank said. “People are very active out here; they just need the literal tools and sometimes just the knowledge to know how to fix it, how to do it, how to make it better. I’ve never been to a city anywhere in the country where we have such a high concentration of community-minded people. That’s why this is the right spot for the Tool Library.”
Aside from the food (Oberfrank names El Torito as a personal favorite), his favorite part of Cherokee Street is the passion of residents.
“I love the people on Cherokee Street,” he said. “The usual crowd, the artists, the passionate people, the ones doing projects on their own and not taking no for an answer.”
It’s that resilient spirit, Oberfrank says, that makes him optimistic for the future—not just for the Tool Library, but for the area.
“I think the future looks like a lot of affordable housing opportunities for people, and I say that because that’s something else that I’m directly working on,” he said. “That’s a big end goal, a steady stream of fix-up properties and keeping housing affordable for people in the neighborhood.”
In the meantime, Oberfrank says, the Tool Library is always looking for a hand. If you have experience in craftsmanship or contractor work? Teach a lesson. If you have time and want to give back to the City? Volunteer.
And if you just want to stop by? Please do. There’s something at the Tool Library for everyone.
Cherokee Street Tool Library is located at 3355 California at Cherokee Street. The library is currently open to the public on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from 12pm - 8pm.
There’s a new national standard for helping the community find jobs.
It’s empathetic. It’s strategic. It’s inclusive. And it’s happening right now in St. Louis and on Cherokee Street.
Stevens, who serves as Regional Director of the Save Our Sons program—an affiliate program of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis—says partners across the country are inspired by the way his team in St. Louis is changing lives.
“We have some Urban Leagues in other states that have started to model our program, and eventually making this the staple program of Leagues throughout the nation,” Stevens said. “This model works; this model shows success; and that’s what I anticipate and hope for the program.”
Save Our Sons, which opened its newest location at 2626 Cherokee Street in October, was created in 2016 following the events in Ferguson. Urban League team members, including President and CEO Michael McMillan, had noticed that the majority of St. Louisans seeking the League’s services at the time were women—leaving a large portion of the community underserved.
“We asked, ‘After everything is done, how can we as an agency help?’” Stevens said. “The number one consensus was jobs, and men saying they don’t have the chance to get them. [Mr. McMillan] realized that workforce development needed to happen for men in our community. Save Our Sons seeks to make sure that the men in our community have access to the opportunities they deserve.”
The Urban League has 22 offices across the city, four (soon to be five) of which are devoted to Save Our Sons. The program provides a four-week job placement training program, hosted by professionals and HR managers from across the city; hiring fairs with local and national businesses such as Panera, Schnucks, Worldwide Technology, and AT&T; job incentives such as transportation fares and professional clothing for interviews; and day-to-day support like energy bill assistance.
“There’s no real framework; it’s really tailored to the client,” says Mike Doss, a Workforce Development Specialist who works out of the Cherokee Street office. “We build self esteem and self confidence, and let men know these resources are available to them. We do everything in our power to meet their needs and bridge the gap for individuals in our communities.”
While the program might be new, the team has hit the ground running. In 2018, the Urban League implemented Save Our Sisters, which replicated the success of the Save Our Sons program to serve job seeking women. Both ventures are thriving.
“We have close to 100 hiring partners, and at any given time, have around 60 that are super active,” says Lindra Harvey, who serves as the Cherokee Street location’s Program Coordinator. “We’ve had hiring fairs where businesses interviewed as many as 126 people in one day.”
Harvey found her way to Save Our Sons when her previous longtime employer partnered with the organization. Touched and energized by the work the group was doing in the community, she decided to be a part of it and—hasn’t looked back.
“The Urban League provides hope in times of hopelessness,” she said. “I’ve seen people come in who didn’t know where to go, or what they wanted to do. I’ve seen hope provided to an individual who walked in that didn’t know where their next meal was going to come from. It’s hope that we’re providing, and it encourages me to support this vision.”
The job, Harvey says, humbles her every day.
“I came in with a different view of life; and when I look at those we’re serving, it’s overwhelming and it’s heartwarming,” she said. “When I see people jumping up and down because they got a new job or a new suit…That gives them the indication that somebody cares. That’s what it does. I hope that they walk away with hope.”
The secret to fostering that hope, Stevens says, is to break down obstacles.
“There aren’t too many barriers we cannot help remove,” Stevens said, citing the story of a client who is finally fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming a pilot. “Life happens. And when it does, you forget about the dream you had until someone talks to you about it. We have the tools, the scholarship dollars, and the resources and connections to see people live out those dreams.”
Save Our Sons is able to leverage its own unique job preparedness model, along with the funds and other programs available to it as a satellite of the Urban League, to provide holistic services for someone seeking to better their lives. No appointments for services are required; and the team wants St. Louisans to know that anyone is welcome to walk through their doors.
“I meet a lot of people who are hesitant to better their futures, maybe because they feel incapable of receiving services, period,” Doss said. “But we just want you to come in. We don’t accept the mundane here; and we don’t accept less than. If there’s one thing that I want the community to know, it's that there are people who do care, who are willing and wanting to change other peoples’ lives. I’m honored and really love the work I do on a day-to-day basis because it’s so unique in this way.”
As Save Our Sons works to become a staple of the community, the Cherokee Street office gives the organization a chance to meet South St. Louisans where they’re at and helps Save Our Sons become a vital part of neighborhood life.
“I’m extremely excited about it because I was born and raised in South St. Louis, and I know the climate and what is or is not easily accessible to the folks here…and having access to opportunities is huge,” Stevens said. “I believe we have the perfect opportunity to do our best to get individuals employed; and when we do that, the whole community changes. You see everything grow. I’m looking forward to us making a huge change in South St. Louis.”
Doss agrees; he believes that the Cherokee Street space is special.
“It has a lot of character, a lot of history, and a lot of culture,” he said. “We try our best to branch out from a standalone headquarters to being in the communities we serve. It’s been nothing but open arms and smiles when we tell people here we’re with the Urban League and Save Our Sons.”
For that reason, Harvey says, Cherokee Street is beginning to feel like home for the team.
“I think that the community has embraced us,” she said. “We know many of the business owners up and down Cherokee; we literally put feet to the ground and walk up and down [the street]. It’s just enjoyable because we’re doing something that’s being valued in the community.”
As the Save Our Sons team looks to the future, they have a few key goals. Become a community staple. Grow the organization’s services and increase the number of satellite locations. Continue to be a thought leader for Urban Leagues and other charitable organizations across the country.
But their main priority? Getting you in the door. Because, as Stevens says, your dreams are waiting.
Learn more about Save Our Sons, and the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, here
One of Cherokee Street’s newest restaurants, My Marie Restaurant, opened doors in early September. Located just a couple doors down from our friends at STL Style House, My Marie (3147 Cherokee Street) offers a menu of authentic Haitian cuisine in a warm, inviting and casual space.
From coconut curry shrimp, jerk chicken and griot pork to Hatian-style meat patties, stewed oxtail and lamb, My Marie’s menu sings with Caribbean flavors, which is a welcome addition to the city’s restaurant scene.
The first My Marie Restaurant opened in Cape Girardeau in 2019, but St. Louis city’s Haitian community and vibrancy brought the family to open a second location on Cherokee Street this year.
While the menu has many offerings, Marie and customers have their favorites. “My two favorite dishes on the menu are the Haitian Oxtail and Jerk Chicken,” Marie says. ”Those are the most popular.”
Another noteworthy item on the menu is the Haitian Griot, which is a deep fried, seasoned pork dish. “If you are from Haiti, then you know griot,” Marie says. The pork is served with a side of fried plantains and pikliz, which can best be described to Missourians as a hot, pickled coleslaw.
Born and raised in Haiti, Marie Louis Jeune, 39, found her passion for cooking at a young age. She attended culinary school in Haiti and has been working in kitchens since she was 19. When a catastrophic earthquake struck the country in 2010, leaving millions of people without their homes, Marie and family left Haiti for the US. Her husband’s upbringing in Cape Girardeau, Missouri led them back to the states.
“I love cooking,” says Marie. “I love to make people happy.”
Now offering delivery, My Marie’s hours are Tuesday - Thursday and Sunday from 11am to 7pm, and Friday and Saturday from 11am to 8pm.
For the latest updates, follow the restaurant’s Facebook page.
Located at the corner of Pennsylvania Ave. and Cherokee St. (2926 Cherokee), ‘Ssippi natural wine bar has been ingratiating itself among locals since its opening in early July. The modern yet quaint neighborhood hangout offers a rotating selection of natural wines, cocktails, and a simple menu of snacks, plus a spacious patio in the back.
'Ssippi patio // Photo by Emily ThenhausCo-owners Brogan Drissell and Emily Kostiuk started planning for their concept in late 2019. Then, like many business owners, their plans were put on hold by the Covid-19 pandemic. It took them nearly two years to open ‘Ssippi, but now that the bar is open, things are going well. “It’s been a good mix of neighbors and people from the Central West End and suburbs,” says Drissell.
Drissell’s experience working at a natural wine bar in Los Angeles inspired him to bring the concept to St. Louis. “I love St. Louis, I grew up here and I feel like it doesn’t get the credit it deserves. So I wanted to come back and put something here that I thought was missing.”
Natural winemaking is a production of wine using simple or traditional methods. Drissell generally defines a natural wine as one that has had nothing added, or taken away during production. “Some makers add a little bit of sulfites to the wine to preserve it slightly, but some of the wines we have are 00 which means they’re just grapes, fermented, then bottled.” Natural wines have gained in popularity in recent years, seeing a 17 percent increase in production volume year over year since 2017.
Drissell also wanted a European cafe feel to the space. He was inspired by cafes he’d been to in Europe, where espresso was served during the day before a gradual transition to serving beer and wine at night. He also took inspiration from many bars in Los Angeles, where “you experience lighter, airier feeling,” he says. “I wanted to take advantage of this space with these windows. In the afternoon, the light floods in, so it's kind of in opposition to the typical St. Louis dive bar.” Natural light has no problem finding its way into ‘Ssippi through the several windows on the north and west sides of the building.
‘Sippi has plans to bring music and events into the space soon. The main bar room houses a piano, which will be used for piano nights on Sundays. The bar also recently met with a local DJ to discuss a monthly party. (Keep up with events on the street in Cherokee Street's events calendar.)
‘Ssippi also seeks to be a source for those looking to pick up bottles of natural wine for the home. In a week or two, ‘Ssippi will launch an online store, where you can shop natural wines to be picked up from the shop.
“I want it to feel comfortable for everyone to come in,” says Drissell. “I think a wine bar has a lot of connotations that people come to, but I wanted to make the space feel inviting. Even the way we discuss wine here: If you want to talk about it, you can. You can also just enjoy your drink.”
‘Ssippi is open Monday, Thursday and Friday from 5pm to midnight, and Saturday and Sunday from 2pm to midnight. For more information, follow the bar’s instagram account, @ssippi_stl.
This week, local public art project PSA: debuted its newest collaboration, featuring the work of nationally acclaimed photographer and native St. Louisan Adrian Octavius Walker. The six banner piece - titled “We Matter” - was installed on the exterior wall of The Luminary at Cherokee and Ohio.
The installation will be displayed for one year and was made possible, in part, by funding from the National Academy of Design/Edwin Austin Abbey Memorial Trust Fund for Mural Painting in the United States and Cherokee Street Community Improvement District with support from The Luminary.
Adrian Octavius Walker is a mixed media artist based in Chicago, whose work is inspired by the black body, dynamics of the black family and the African American experience. “We Matter” explores Black American beauty traditions among Black men. The intimacy depicted in each photograph erases the possibility of threat often assigned to black men. Instead, it pushes the viewer to see the power of kinship within the Black community.
Walker’s work has been featured in The National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C., The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Time Magazine. This installation is the artist's first large scale public art project in his hometown of St. Louis.
PSA: features text installations by St. Louis artists, writers, and poets and is organized by artists Shannon Levin and Marina Peng. Work has been displayed in various locations throughout the region, including the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, 2222 Chippewa in Marine Villa and as part of The Luminary’s billboard project launched in November 2020.
Photos by RJ Hartbeck
Cherokee Street
Community Improvement District
Copyright © 2024 All Rights Reserved
3407 S. Jefferson, Suite 515
St. Louis, MO 63118
Cherokee Street
Community Improvement District
Copyright © 2019 All Rights Reserved
3407 S. Jefferson, Suite 515
St. Louis, MO 63118
Cherokee Street
Community Improvement District
Copyright © 2019 All Rights Reserved
3407 S. Jefferson, Suite 515
St. Louis, MO 63118
Cherokee Street
Community Improvement District
Copyright © 2019 All Rights Reserved
3407 S. Jefferson, Suite 515
St. Louis, MO 63118
Cherokee Street
Community Improvement District
Copyright © 2019 All Rights Reserved
3407 S. Jefferson, Suite 515
St. Louis, MO 63118