Courtesy of Saint Louis Bread Co.
Don't even think about calling it Panera Bread.
As the president of St. Louis Transplants, Anthony Bartlett often must explain misconceptions of the city to newcomers. He recently shared five common fallacies of the Gateway City.
Bread Co.: Saint Louis Bread Co. is synonymous with Panera Bread. “First-time visitors get upset the first time they see a Bread Co.: ‘How are they allowed to do that!?’ That’s when I hit them with the origin story.”
The Weather: “Newcomers aren’t expecting it to be so sunny. Never have we picked up someone from the airport wearing sunglasses. Ever. They’re thinking Rust Belt—Ohio, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan.”
Ferguson: Bartlett often takes visitors to Ferguson and watches their assumptions crumble. They’ll grab a bite at Cathy’s Kitchen, shoot pool at Mimi’s, enjoy a cigar at Montrey’s, sip a glass of wine at Cork...
Outdoors: “Many newcomers from the coasts don’t know the differences between Midwestern states,” says Bartlett. “They often picture prairie-flat lands.” Then they discover a range of terrains near St. Louis.
Size: St. Louis is far bigger than some expect. “They think it’s going to be like a Legoland Western—a cross between Phoenix, K.C., and Denver. It’s way more of a cross between New Orleans and Boston.”
