Photo by Megan Mertz
“I’m definitely one of those people who likes my kitchen to be functional but also aesthetically pleasing,” says Beth Styles, owner of Lemon Gem Kitchen Goods (4180 Manchester, 314-696-2744)—and it shows throughout the store. Handmade rolling pins and brightly colored vintage aprons sit alongside kitchen staples such as pots, pans, and spatulas from familiar brands like OXO and Cuisinart.
Styles, who also owns the vintage clothing store Parsimonia, decided to open Lemon Gem after realizing that St. Louis was missing a local kitchen store within the city limits. “For us to get kitchen supplies, we were driving out to the county to the local shops,” she says. “It was always a point of frustration, at least for me, that our options in the city were boiled down to big box stores.” Now, St. Louisans only have to travel to the Grove, where Lemon Gem occupies the former space of Rise Coffee House.
Styles chooses merchandise that is both “useful and eye-catching,” and the store carries a variety of items from local artisans and small businesses around the country. A few of her favorites for spring are:
Photo by Megan Mertz
Short Stack Editions ($14)
Each edition of this small-format cookbook line focuses on a single ingredient, like avocado, lemon, or tahini. A new issue comes out every other month.
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Photo by Beth Styles
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Photo by Beth Styles
Mosser Glass cake stands ($62.95 and up) and mixing bowl sets ($64.95 and up)
These hand-pressed mixing bowl sets and 10-inch cake stands are made in Cambridge, Ohio. This spring, Lemon Gem will carry them in four colors: jadeite, white, pink, and yellow.
Photo by Megan Mertz
Meri Meri cupcake kits ($13.50)
These kits include 24 cupcake liners and 12 toppers. Lemon Gem gets new kits like this spring-themed one every season.
In addition to the shop on the ground level, Lemon Gem has a community space upstairs. There’s a cookbook library where customers can look for a new recipe to try, as well as a play area for children. Styles also plans to hold events there.
Rise Coffee House, which moved next door, “created such a great community vibe in this space, and it’s something that I definitely wanted to honor in taking it over,” Styles says. “I will always want the upstairs…to be a space people can use and spend time, to have this be more than just a place where you can buy stuff.”
Lemon Gem Kitchen Goods is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
