By Stefene Russell
Photography by J.J. Lane
When non-Maplewoodians think of Maplewood, naturally they think of Manchester. But Sutton’s long been home to some of St. Louis’ quirkiest cultural gems, including Saratoga Lanes (2725-A, 314-645-5308) the oldest bowling alley west of the Mississippi; also the Focal Point (2720 Sutton, 314-781-4200, www.thefocalpoint.org) a listening room that for the past 25 years has hosted everyone from Irish piper Michael Cooney to the late West African drummer-dancer Nymah Kumah (who traveled with Babatunde Olatunji’s band).
Though there’s always been great stuff on Sutton, the culture and shopping stop-offs have been multiplying exponentially. The Black Cat Theatre, home to both Piwacket Theatre for Children and Off The Cuff Productions, opened last fall; on weekdays, they stage smart, educational shows for kids. At night, it’s cabaret performances of plays like Pinter’s The Birthday Party. Down the block a stretch is the lauded Hoffman-LaChance Fine Art gallery (3100 Sutton, 314-960-5322, www.hoffmanlachancefineart.com) an airy, contemporary space that had St. Louis’ art community buzzing before the paint on the walls had dried, much less on the canvases. Artists Alicia LaChance, William LaChance and Michael Hoffman moved to Maplewood quite deliberately from Clayton, not only because the space was more affordable (which afforded more space) but the vibe in Maplewood is definitely artist-friendly—there are several artists on Sutton (including William LaChance) who keep studios above the shops.
Next door to Hoffman-LaChance is Roots (3104 Sutton, 314-644-7708), a antiques and garden shop run by sisters Nancy Kassabaum, Penny Dreyer and Patti Brightfield. Rather than sticking to a particular era, the sisters choose inventory from the 19th century to the mid-20th that evokes a certain quirky nostalgia, from ‘50s milk glasses painted with stylized tulips in green, red and black ($6.50) to old sewing notions to kids’ toys, including a green tin Little Orphan Annie doll oven ($25).
Trot across the street to Nora Dora & Bernadette’s (3101 Sutton, 314-645-6711) for two floors’ worth of antique and vintage objects. You’ll find the sweet (vintage kids hanger painted with bright-eyed terrier, $14) the very curious (weathered wooden fishnet floats from Lake Superior, $5 each) and the straightforward (a hand-done redwork pillowslip, $42), but it’s clear every piece in the shop has been chosen with care.
Nearer to Manchester is a brand-new cluster of shops, one of the newest being Cooper Ella Boutique (2743 Sutton, 314-769-9180, www.cooperella.com), the only place in town where you can match a pair of wee patent-leather combat boots ($40) with a Sourpuss rock ‘n’ roll baby tee ($20–$25). Coming soon in the space next door: Cooper Ella “children’s café” offering teeny-tiny tot-sized portions, a changing station, stroller park and play areas throughout the space. Oh, and Kaldi’s coffee for the grown-ups.
A few doors up, you’ll find TigerLily (2739 Sutton, 314-646-0061), a bright little store with a skylight and pretty housewares with a sense of humor, such as a trio of tiered tea towels that read “good,” “clean,” “fun” ($15) polka-dotted glass tumblers and French “button soaps” from Cartwheels & Cupcakes ($12). (The excellent Suttonwood Antiques, sandwiched between TigerLily and Cooper Ella for the past year, were planning at press to pack up their 19th century Chinese antiques in order to relocate to the corner of Gravois and Russell).
Skip up the street to Larutan (2716 Sutton, 314-580-7696, www.larutanstudio.com) and turn the door handle made from a big speckled stone. Artist Gwen Oulman Brennan, a former Iowan, fills this shop with her visual art and spare, sophisticated metal jewelry. If you think landscapes are dull, you will change your mind after seeing her haunting black and white photos of ponds and meadows printed on organza ($95).
Gisèle’s (2727 Sutton Blvd, 314-781-0800) a European-inspired boutique, has expanded into the adjoining shopfront. They offer Sophia redolere fragrance lamps for $25, which includes two starter oils, a less pricey alternative to a lampe bergere; shabby chic furniture, formal clothing for babies and toddlers, French soaps ($6.99 per bar, .95 for minis) that come in scents like “milk”; and jewelry purchased in Paris ($20–$30.)
Archangels (2719 Sutton, 314-645-2256) is delightfully specialized: they are the place to go for Byzantine Iconic art and environmentally-friendly beeswax candles. O’Malley’s Irish Shop (2718 Sutton, 314-645-8779), another old-timer on this block, is the place to go for all things Hibernian, including clan-specific coffee mugs and shamrock table runners ($12.99). And though they're not step-in-off-the-street places, also make note of FloraDiva, which specializes in Asian-inspired floral designs, and Sutton Street Studio, a dealer in art, accessories and fine handloomed rugs (both are located at 2732 Sutton, 314-645-3332); Design & Detail (2717 Sutton, 314-781-3336), a to-the-trade showroom; and the Decorative Arts Center (2712 Sutton, 314-973-2787), a decorative painting school that offers classes in Venetian plaster, faux finishes, murals and trompe l'oeil.
Even if you stopped at Cooper Ella for coffee and petits fours with your petits, finish up at Maya Café (2726 Sutton, 314-781-4774) for affordable Mayan (or, if you prefer, pan-Latin) food. Or, on the corner of Sutton and Manchester, you’ll find Tiffany’s Original Diner (7402 Manchester, 314-644-0929) which offers ‘50s food at practically ‘50s prices.
