Great Estates
You can always tell when a shop owner is also an interior designer. There are certain telltale signs. At Great Estates (2214 S. Big Bend, 314-614-2180), opened by Alan Brainerd of Alan E. Brainerd Interiors, the store’s walls give it away. The exterior is chartreuse. One room is painted salmon, another sunny yellow. The carpeting is sisal. Outside, a sign indicates the hours of operation are “10ish to 5ish or by appointment,” Thursday through Saturday. The store bears the same name as Maria Clifford’s and Brainerd’s estate-sale business. “Almost all consignment,” he says. Merchandise recently for sale included a pair of small French sconces ($225), an oval French mirror ($275), and majolica plates ($80 and $100).
Ken Miesner’s Flowers
On Plaza Frontenac’s opening day in 1974, Ken Miesner’s Flowerswas among its original tenants. Then, this spring, the store moved down Clayton Road to the Granaway Shops, in a plaza that includes Imagination Toys and Roberts Fine Apparel. At 2,000 square feet, Miesner’s new location (9723 Clayton, 314-567-6650) is smaller than the original, but it’s still sweet with whimsy, the offerings including moss-covered pig statues, antiques, and urns. His classic great taste remains, too, with an array of accessories, antique furniture, and signature florals.
