With a goal of being just as cozy as the name suggests, at Ladue’s new shop The Nook, “You are supposed to feel like you are at home, but it is a place other than your home,” creator Mary Lemkemeir says. She adds: “You can meet a friend or meet someone new.”
The Nook (9794 Clayton), which just opened February 4, serves as a gift shop retail space as well as a communal gathering space. Members of the general public are welcome to book the space for all types of functions such as a book club, lunch meeting, or children’s birthday party.
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Even better: 100 percent of the store’s profits go toward St. Louis Children’s Hospital. In particular, the profits are directly funding the Child Life services and the schoolroom at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
“I really feel like [St. Louis Children’s Hospital] are such an incredible gem in St. Louis and I wanted to support them,” says Lemkemeir. “I feel like there are many women who have a little bit of time they want to give to their community, and this is a way that they are able to do that.”
Upon creating The Nook, Lemkemeir asked her friend Laura Goodloe, who she says has always had an eye for knowing what sells well, to join her. Along with Goodloe and Lemkemeir, the Nook team are all volunteers.
Lemkemeir has been involved with St. Louis Children’s Hospital for many years. Formerly a member of the development board, she also volunteered in the hospital’s schoolroom.
“Helping kids focus on things on something outside of themselves when they are in the hospital,” says Lemkemeir. “The volunteers and the staff are so incredible at keeping the kids entertained and warmly cared for. I think that is one of the most special parts of Children’s Hospital, is that they focus on the child and not the illness.”
The classes that are hosted by The Nook are mostly free, while some may have a suggested donation or a fee for materials. If someone wants to reserve the space for something, there is currently not a fee, but a donation is appreciated.
The Nook also offers a wide array of classes and lectures. There are events geared toward children, like story time, crafting, or sing-alongs. A lot of the classes stem from members of the community reaching out to The Nook about ideas they would like to share in a class setting. One upcoming event will feature Psanky, which is the art of Ukranian Easter Egg decorating.
Popular items at The Nook include 4 Ocean bracelets, and each bracelet sold funds the cleanup of one pound of trash from the ocean. A large portion of the inventory at The Nook comes from Missouri artisans, such as local honey, shoes decorated by a Forsyth student, and cheese boards made of wood sourced mainly in Missouri.
