Some spring afternoons require playing hooky. The air is too fresh, the sky too blue, the light too enticing to be trapped by routine. On these days, I head for one of my destination stores, the small shops I can’t pass without stopping. If I don’t come out carrying something I just bought, I come out wishing I had.
So here is a spring bouquet of happy shopping opportunities. Each has a personality shaped by the woman or women who conceived and own the store. All are tucked into shopping nooks with other boutiques and cafés nearby, promising a lovely, leisurely afternoon. If you celebrate Mother’s Day with gifts, these shops are rife with possibility across all price ranges.
Pom Pom (7290 Manchester, 314-781-3010) is a stylish Maplewood boutique owned by Karen Buckley and Michelle Lagerquist. Need a formal sofa upholstered in cowhide-printed denim? There it is in Pom Pom’s window. Traditional furniture in unexpected fabrics; sophisticated, lightly used accent pieces (I covet a small, painted Chinese chest with a bamboo mirror for $450); and refurbished chandeliers are the skeleton of the store’s inventory. Then Buckley and Lagerquist layer on whimsical accessories and carefully chosen vintage clothing pieces, such as alligator bags and, recently, a spectacular black mink hat for $70.
“It’s mostly girlie, colorful stuff that you can make work in your home,” says Buckley. “We appeal to people who are putting together their own look, piece by piece.”
I’m a sucker for animal-print accents, and I can always count on finding something at The Designing Block (7735 Clayton, 314-721-4224), like a zebra-striped cowhide skin for $395 or small, enamel cheetah-print picture frames. Interior designer Susan Block usually features a piece of unique custom furniture in her window—a zany daybed or a painted armoire—in a style just short of over-the-top. She makes it a point to carry jewelry and paintings by local artists, such as the stylized portraits of women in hats by Anne Burgess Rowe, as well as some vintage design accessories. Take a look at the Petal Purses, cute-but-not-cutesy confections of silk to put a pop of color into spring.
Brewington is a fixture in the Central West End (4733 and 4731 McPherson, 314-361-5373), and A.J. Brewington proves her eye for design, whether it’s 20th century costume jewelry, traditional furniture or mid-century modern pieces. The common thread is a dedication to quality—Brewington cherry-picks the good stuff from local estates and auctions. In the past few years, I’ve seen a lot of edgy paintings and many wonderful Asian pieces (get there before a certain local collector snatches up all the Buddhas). I’m often drooling over her signature collections of vintage wine, water and cordial glasses. And if you’re scouting for a “signature” piece of art or furniture, Brewington should be on your itinerary. “We’re just a wild card, with a lot of personality,” she says.
At Sycamore Moon (209 N. Kirkwood, 314-835-9988), owner Trenna Lange specializes in a cool, elegant style she calls country modern. The colors are subtle, the atmosphere serene. Lange combines the smooth texture of contemporary silk pillows (the kind Oprah loves) with the gently worn finishes of traditional furniture. Then she punches up the mood with an array of monochromatic accessories. The Kirkwood store, open six months, carries everything from bedding to baby clothes, handmade soaps to handmade jewelry, and includes an in-store flower stand, Bloomin’ Buckets (www.bloominbuckets.com). The place is country without fuss.
Finally, for Mother’s Day, how could I resist Empty Nest (21 N. Gore, 314-961-3900, www.shoptheemptynest.com)? Owned by two (what else) empty nesters, Lynn Robichaux and Gail Schmidt, the store is a fantasy attic of Shabby Chic on steroids. Color wraps its arms around you the moment you step in the door, from vermillion walls to painted green armoires to fabulous fake flower arrangements that pop with contrast. Asian stools, buckets and boxes, infused with color, have the worn look of antiques. Silk flowering plants are so realistic, I kept touching the petunias to see if they bruised. There is nothing wimpish about the botanical prints of crickets, beetles and turtles. From the paint display at the back of the store to the pajamas and linen at the front, color and pattern run riot through the Empy Nest.
Happy spring. Happy Mother’s Day. Happy shopping.
