Tag: ladue news

Ladue News Feature Stories

Thinking Globally, Acting Locally

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Bringing fair-trade products to area residents is Zee Bee Market owner Julio Zegarra-Ballon’s passion. After a promotion brought him to St. Louis, he learned about Partners for Just Trade, a Fair Trade Federation member local organization that was working exclusively with Peruvian artists. Although Zegarra-Ballon had been working in corporate America for two decades, after discovering Partners for Just Trade, he found himself increasingly “falling out of love” with the ways of the two large-scale corporations he had been working for.

Born in Peru himself, Zegarra-Ballon felt an immediate connection with the group and expressed interest in supporting its mission by volunteering. It was then that he was introduced to the fair-trade movement. “Fair trade” is an institutional arrangement designed to help producers in developing countries achieve better trading conditions. Members of the fair-trade movement advocate the payment of fair wages and provide safe working conditions to the producers, as well as improved social and environmental standards.

“I had been working for two large corporations that did little to ensure the producers received a fair wage for their work,” Zegarra-Ballon says. “I worked hard to make money for a limited few and to create value for shareholders, but producers along the supply chain did not share in that prosperity and often were exploited.”

While continuing his day job, Zegarra-Ballon began to assist Partners for Just Trade on weekends, often helping sell products at events. As he was selling, he found himself telling the products’ stories to prospective customers, explaining not only the beauty behind the products themselves but also the artisans who handcrafted them.

“One day, I came home and told my wife, ‘This is what I want to do,’” Zegarra-Ballon says.

His wife supported his vision, and Zegarra-Ballon set off to get his MBA at the University of Missouri-St. Louis to learn how he could venture out on his own. During this time, Zegarra-Ballon decided to take $1,000 out of savings and used it to purchase unique, handmade and fair-trade gift-type products – half from Partners for Just Trade and half from another fair-trade organization, Global Crafts. He set up a table at a local event in June 2012, and by the end of the day, he had sold nearly half of the products.

“I was elated when I got home,” he says. “I decided to reinvest the money in ordering more products.”

For the next two years, Zegarra-Ballon continued to sell fair-trade products on nights and weekends – all while finishing his MBA and maintaining his day job. Increasingly, though, customers were asking him where his shop was.

“The results spoke for themselves,” Zegarra-Ballon says. “The challenge was there, but I could feel in my heart that it would be a good thing.”

After he put a business plan together and found the perfect space, his Zee Bee Market opened on South Grand in November 2014. Less than a year later, Zegarra-Ballon quit his full-time job and dedicated all his time and effort to telling the stories behind the eclectic variety of goods he carries.

Although the South Grand community embraced Zee Bee Market and Zegarra-Ballon’s efforts, he regularly had customers note that they wished for a location farther west. In early 2017, Zegarra-Ballon saw the possibilities of the storefront located on Manchester Road between The Benevolent King and Kakao, and after much work, he opened the doors to the second Zee Bee Market in April 2018.

The space is filled with charming, colorful pieces from artisans all over the world, and Zegarra-Ballon has a story to tell for each piece.

“Everything you see here is handcrafted by artisans around the world,” he says. “We’re currently sourcing from 33 different countries. I find myself welcoming customers, and as they pick something up and begin to compliment it, I say, ‘Oh, by the way, here’s the story behind it.’ It’s a celebration of the beautiful work of human hands.”

He cites parts of the world like India and Cambodia, where certain villages have become known as meccas of leather-making, block printing for fabrications and recycling materials to be turned into accessories. But these artisans are facing the challenge of a modern society that’s focused on automated production.

“Their livelihoods are potentially at risk,” Zegarra-Ballon says. “Fair trade is targeting specifically communities that are borderline losing this incredible art form and encouraging them to stay in their villages.”

Zee Bee Market’s products are wide-spanning, from pillows made from recycled saris to wallets made from inner tubes to exquisite ceramic pieces to wall hooks made from bicycle chains. There is a large selection of organic and fair-trade-certified coffee, chocolate, tea and other treats. The shop also carries a variety of clothing and dresses, along with bags and satchels – all benefiting the people who meticulously handcrafted them.

Over the course of the past year, Zegarra-Ballon’s been getting the word out about his new space, regularly partnering with local nonprofits to donate 15 percent of sales to those groups’ missions.

“I’m so delighted to be able to give the customer in the U.S. a new opportunity to open their wallet and choose to purchase something that has a positive impact,” Zegarra-Ballon says. “We spend money all the time by the trillions of dollars in this country, but it’s a tiny percent that is actually sourced ethically. We have an opportunity as consumers to be able to support the livelihoods of people around the world by the products we purchase.”

This story was originally published at laduenews.com. Read it on LN’s website here.

Happily Ever After Stories

Happily Ever After: Whippet and the Carmean Family

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Once upon a time, Melissa Carmean decided she wanted to foster a senior dog or one that had special needs of some sort. She and her family had previously fostered dogs when they were living in Texas, and when they moved to Missouri about a year ago, she began following Stray Rescue of St. Louis on Facebook.

“I got addicted to their posts,” she says.

Earlier this year, Carmean saw posts about a 7-year-old dog named Whippet who came to Stray Rescue blind in both eyes. He had glaucoma, and his eyes were rupturing. He had surgery to have them removed and went to a foster home to recover, since the shelter was confusing for the blind pup. Carmean saw his posts and “couldn’t stop thinking about him.”

“When he went up for adoption, I put in an application right away,” she says.

Whippet’s foster family was enthusiastic about the Carmeans coming to meet him, so Carmean and her husband went to pay him a visit and see if he’d be a good fit for their family.

“My husband wasn’t totally sold on the idea, but when we walked in their door, he was the first one on the floor with [Whippet],” Carmean says.

After a brief discussion with her husband, Carmean filed with Stray Rescue to officially adopt Whippet. They brought the pup home the same day.

The Carmeans have had Whippet only for a few weeks, but he’s fitting in perfectly with their family. Whippet’s getting used to having a dog brother and sister, along with a sassy cat sister. Carmean says that aside from his blindness, the Golden Retriever-“ish” pup is “as healthy as can be.”

“He loves to go for walks,” she says. “He just wants to be wherever you are.”

One little bit of adjustment the Carmeans have faced with Whippet is talking to him constantly to let him know where they are in the house.

“You can’t leave a room without telling him you’re leaving the room, because he won’t know where you went,” Carmean says. “You just have to keep talking to him so he can follow you. His sense of hearing is great.”

Whippet has been particularly excited about meeting the Carmeans’ cat, but so far, the cat has insisted on swatting at the visually impaired dog until he backs away.

“He just really wants to sniff her,” Carmean says. “As soon as she meows, he’s got to go find her.”

Overall, though, Carmean says the biggest adaptation is just being mindful of Whippet’s presence because he’s so quiet and low-maintenance. The Carmeans have incorporated him into their daily routine with ease, though, allowing Whippet to come along on car rides to pick up their daughter from school.

“Seeing him with his head out the window is so cute because he loves the feel of the wind on his face,” Carmean says. “He can’t tell what’s going on, but the expression on his face is so sweet.”

This story was originally published at laduenews.com. Read it on LN’s website here.

Ladue News Feature Stories

Building Good Buzz

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Blanche “Bee” Kern knows that beauty is found in the details. It’s perhaps one of the reasons behind the wild success of a business she started her sophomore year of college called The Honeycomb.

“A passion to create beautiful things” led her to begin creating hairpieces, including floral garlands, pins, crowns and a small selection of veils – perfect headwear for brides seeking to add more floral elements to their big day.

“Everything I made seemed to sell right away, and the custom order requests began to pour in,” she says.

Kern had launched her Etsy shop in 2008 while attending Maryville University for a graphic design degree – during what she calls the “early days” of the online handmade marketplace. Still, attention to detail and excellent customer service were her priorities as she began delivering pieces to customers all over the world.

“The online bridal industry is saturated with mass-produced items, so I was passionate about providing a more personalized and handmade service,” Kern says. “My motto is ‘perfection in the details,’ from selecting the finest available materials for my designs to thoughtful communications with my customers.”

With graduation from Maryville on the horizon and business ramping up, Kern was faced with the decision of what to do after earning her diploma.

“With graduation coming, I felt a career crisis looming,” she says. “I received a job offer from the design firm I’d interned with, but my mind was already made up. I was too excited by the customer response to The Honeycomb and loved the idea of running my own business.”

Kern turned her attention to The Honeycomb full time after graduating and has been working tirelessly ever since. The signature Honeycomb look blends fabric flowers with a luxe variety of metal vines, twigs and leaves, often incorporating Swarovski pearls and crystals, too.

“These gilded pieces are my favorite to make and the most popular with customers,” she says.

Although she focuses mainly on the flower crowns and hair combs, her veils have also picked up momentum, with the “drape” veil becoming a bride favorite. Kern recently brought on a talented veil designer – her mom, Dede – who cuts and stitches the veils by hand.

“Whereas most designers affix lace with glue, she is meticulous with needle and thread,” Kern notes.

Her fastidious care and willingness to create personalized pieces for her customers have set The Honeycomb apart in an online market that’s now saturated with wedding accessories.

“There is far more competition now,” Kern acknowledges. “This keeps me on my toes and makes me obsessive about finding new and unique ways to advance my signature look, while creating diversity in my offerings and never sacrificing on quality.”

Kern hit a big milestone in 2018 when eRank (then called EtsyRank) listed The Honeycomb as the top 1 percent seller on the global Etsy marketplace. The business also celebrated its 10-year anniversary last year, and Kern looks back fondly on the successes The Honeycomb has had since its inception.

“My items have been featured in wedding blogs, magazines and the CW-channel TV series Reign,” she says. “Although most of my customers are in the United States, 25 percent of orders today are coming from Europe. I’m quite proud of that.”

Wherever they are in the world, Kern’s customers are happy ones. She has a five-star rating from nearly 3,000 customers and receives numerous emails per month with comments like “I have been searching for weeks to find the perfect accessory. I’m so glad I found you!”

“I offer brides a truly personalized service, which many take advantage of,” Kern says. “I am frequently asked to create a hybrid of styles from the existing designs in my shop. For example, if a bride likes one headpiece for its colors and vibe, but it’s not quite the right shape, I can remake it to fit her special request. Often I will switch out flowers to match a particular bouquet. I’ve even had brides send me an ancestor’s heirloom headpiece to remake into something new. I am in love with the collaborative process!”

The Honeycomb’s continued growth has led Kern to seek out a bigger studio space, which she is moving to shortly. Currently, her designs are available only online.

“I am excited about the growth, although being a one-woman show can take its toll,” she says. Though she says some days she feels like a hamster on a wheel, she’s “so fortunate to be doing what [she] loves.”

“The plan this year is to hire someone to help with business operations, which will free up my time to focus exclusively on the creative side and continue to provide excellent customer service,” Kern says. “I am committed to creating a delightful experience for my customers, from start to finish.”

This story was originally published at laduenews.com. Read it on LN’s website here.

Ladue News Feature Stories

Sweet as Honey

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Two years ago, St. Louisan Angela Giancola was living in Israel with her kids for a few months when she discovered a museum in Tel Aviv that had reusable decals everywhere. Her son, Omri, was obsessed with the stickers and the simple appeal of being able to create whatever he wanted from the decals, and he wanted to play with them for hours. Giancola inquired about purchasing some, but she learned they had been created by students specifically for the museum and weren’t for sale.

“I looked everywhere for this concept,” she says. “Then I thought I might as well just do it.”

Giancola is deaf and has a background in children’s education. Several years ago, she worked with international kids teaching sign language and art – which she says are common ways to communicate with children. “It doesn’t matter who you are or what kind of background you come from; there’s always art,” Giancola says. “I’ve always felt like it’s such a foundational way of communicating.” Also, she’d always wanted to open a children’s store but never felt the time was right. She ran the idea by Zoe Kaemmerer, a friend and former coworker of hers, who loved the concept.

“It was perfect timing,” Kaemmerer says. “I was at a point in my life where I was looking for something different, a challenge. [Giancola] and I had traveled together early on and built a professional relationship and friendship. It was an awesome ground to go forward, so we decided to go for it.”

The two friends set to work producing their own set of decals under the brand name of Honeycomb. They contacted a graphic designer friend to help with the project, noting that they wanted the shapes to be “free-form and abstract” so kids and adults could create something new in their minds.

“We want to challenge children to focus on their constructive and critical thinking and have fun with it,” Giancola says. “They can make letters, create pictures or just make simple shapes.”

From there, Kaemmerer and Giancola took their idea one step further and decided to open a shop in St. Louis’ Botanical Heights neighborhood to showcase everything from the decals to unisex kids’ clothing to their own line of wellness and skin care products. Honeycomb has been open at 1641 Tower Grove Ave. since March 6, grabbing the attention of passersby with its bright yellow multiwindow “Honeycomb” lettering by local artist Phil Jarvis.

Visitors to the shop are greeted by a colorful and versatile space that features a play area for kids on one side and a more product-oriented space on the other. The shop is geared toward all ages, though, and provides a vibrant and tranquil atmosphere for customers, whether they’re 5 years old or 85.

“Visitors can expect a full experience,” Kaemmerer says. “It’s what we want to give our customers – an immersive, interactive experience, where they’re not only going to walk away with something as a gift, but they also had this positive and loving environment they got to be a part of. Maybe they met a new friend while they were in here or got some advice from another parent or walked away with an awesome, unique gift.”

Honeycomb carries a variety of lines from all over the world, with a focus on sustainability and quality. Visitors can find everything from a wheeled basket from Olli Ella to a balance board from Wobbel to organic toy blocks from Globe Totters. It was important to Kaemmerer and Giancola to focus on products that get kids off their screens and encourage being creative as a family, and those values are mirrored in the products they offer.

In addition to the toy-oriented products, Honeycomb carries a variety of kids’ clothing, including a piece from its in-house line, the Omri bloomers, named for Giancola’s son. She notes that kids can get two or three years’ of use out of the pants, which are designed to be rolled up or rolled back down as the child grows. The line also includes a burp cloth with a distinct shape that helps it stay on a person’s shoulder. It features the same design as the decals, tying it into the overall Honeycomb theme.

So far, Kaemmerer and Giancola say that feedback on their shop has been fantastic, with both adults and children enjoying the space and what it has to offer.

“The adults are so excited about the fact that they can come in and let their kid draw for five minutes while they take a stroll around the shop,” Kaemmerer says. “We’ve been blown away by the amount of people who already follow us on social media or have a sister or friend who’s been by the store. It’s an overwhelming feeling, and it makes us realize we’re on the right track.”

The pair also plan to use their storefront as an event space, bringing in speakers like psychologists, sleep specialists and teachers who have experience with special education. Giancola says she’d also like to do readings where she’ll demonstrate the books in sign language.

“We want to grow locally and in the sense of global business, reach out to people who have the same mentality and spirit as we do,” Kaemmerer says. “We want to represent everyone.”

This story was originally published at laduenews.com. Read it on LN’s website here.

Ladue News Feature Stories

Child’s Play

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In a day and age where screens are often the main source of amusement, places like Play Street Museum set themselves apart as spaces where kids can let their imaginations run wild and simply be kids.

The interactive children’s museum franchise got its start in Texas and was purposefully designed to encourage a young child’s sense of independence, exploration and creativity.

“By narrowing the focus of our museums to the interests and imaginations of children 8 and under, young explorers will discover educational exhibits and activities in a world specifically crafted just for them,” the Play Street website explains.

That specific vision drew Nicole Simon and Kellie Geraghty to the museum. The two moms lived in Dallas before moving back to their native St. Louis and, on returning, entertained the idea of bringing the museum experience to the metro area.

“I really loved the museum while I was in Dallas,” Simon says. “It was so easy to take my daughter there and let her play.”

In May 2018, the two friends started the process to bring Play Street to the metro area by looking for a space, which proved to be tough. Rebecca Suen with Hilliker and Patricia Kueneke with Cullinan Properties helped Simon and Geraghty find the right place for the children’s museum and brought them out to see 1650 Beale St. in St. Charles. The space ended up being perfect for their vision, and Play Street’s local location is set to open Mon., March 25.

“We recommend Play Street Museum to kids ages 1 to 8,” Simon says. “Sometimes younger siblings will come in with older siblings, and vice versa. I’d say kids up to about age 12 can have fun interacting with their younger siblings.”

Each Play Street Museum location has a theme, and the local one’s is “town square.” Kids can play with little houses, a fire station, a grocery store, a doctor’s office and a table full of crafts. They also can enjoy a giant Lite-Brite built into the wall.

“The museum is perfect for independent-type play,” Simon says. “The kids are learning as they play.”

Because this is the first Play Street location outside of Dallas, Simon and Geraghty have spent much of the past year seeking the help of other franchise owners.

“The franchise owners have been so helpful in guiding us along the way,” Simon says.

The duo even recently returned to Dallas to “learn the day-to-day” operations of the museum, making sure they’re ready to hit the ground running on opening day.

“Once we open, we hope to be able to get the word out to the St. Louis and St. Charles communities,” Simon says. She’s excited about the opportunities the museum will bring to local kids and their families and will give them a chance to let their imaginations run wild in a safe space.

Visitors will be able to bring their kids to open-play hours, which are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday. Reserved open-play days are hosted on the third Sunday of the month, with more time slots to be available on the weekends in the future. Along with hosting special weekend events, Play Street is available for birthday party rentals, where families can pick a theme and reserve the space for 1½-hour time slots. Admission to the museum is $11.50 plus tax for children ages 1 through 8. Children younger or older are free if accompanied by a paying sibling.

“Play Street is important because it allows the child to be able to play and explore in a safe environment, so you don’t have to stay next to them the whole time – it gives them independence,” Simon says. “For parents, it’s nice to sit back and watch their children play, or they can play along. It’s a relaxing environment for both.”

Geraghty echoes Simon’s sentiments, noting how families can use the museum to return to simpler times: “It gives kids the chance to break away from screens and use imagination to go back to basic pretend play. They work with their imagination and unplug like we did when we were kids.”

This story was originally published at laduenews.com. Read it on LN’s website here.

Ladue News Feature Stories

Make My Holliday

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When customers walk into Holliday in St. Louis’ Central West End neighborhood, they’re met with inviting smells wafting from candles, the warm ambiance that radiates from the store’s interior architecture and neutral-toned furniture and displays.

In their latest venture in the CWE, the McPheeters family now serves a trifecta of businesses with the opening of Holliday. Bowood Farms and Cafe Osage have been operating next to each other on Olive Street for more than a decade, and the third arm of the McPheeters’ operation just made its debut in October.

Katherine McPheeters, who operates Holliday with the help of a small staff and family members (including a loyal four-legged friend named Ruby), notes that Bowood, a garden supply shop, has sold housewares and gifts since its opening in 2006, but has now been able to expand in the new space at Holliday.

In late 2017, the McPheeters family began to work on converting a small building across the street from their other two businesses into what would become Holliday a year later. The shop is named for McPheeters’ great-grandmother Ida Holliday, who, along with her husband, bought the original Bowood Farms, located in Clarksville, Missouri, in the 1930s. (The family still owns the Clarksville farm, which grows all of the annuals and perennials, herbs and veggie starts sold in the CWE.)

McPheeters took great care in selecting the right fixtures for the space and moving everything into the little shop.

“The front didn’t have a lot of presence to it,” she says. “You could drive by and not notice it pretty easily.”

That’s not the case now. The beautifully refreshed brick building is highlighted by classic black windows, an attractive vestibule and eye-catching hexagonal tile. Its exterior complements the other two McPheeters businesses across the street.

Visitors to Holliday walk into a space that’s light and open, sprinkled with everything from stationery to apparel to kids’ gifts, with an emphasis on natural and handmade.

One of the immediate eye-catching components of Holliday is a 10-foot glass display that houses the business’ jewelry – something McPheeters had been carrying at Bowood and has been able to expand.

“We have so many lines it’s hard to choose a favorite,” she says. “I’m excited to have local maker Jacki Holland pieces.”

Holliday carries an assortment of bright, fun party supplies and kids’ items, making it the perfect spot to stop before a birthday party or baby shower. McPheeters notes her excitement over Rifle Paper’s new line of party supplies, calling co-founder Anna Bond’s prints “iconic.” While the kids are entertaining themselves in the store’s corner play area, parents can browse the store’s extensive selection of tabletop linens, candles and accessories.

Holliday also carries a wide range of clothing, much of which has a handmade quality and is multiseasonal.

“Kerri Cassill makes beautiful Indian block-print bedding, as well as clothing, which is perfect for summer and beach vacations,” McPheeters says.

Customers seeking art and furniture pieces will find an array of selections by New York’s John Derian at Holliday and will even have the opportunity to order custom pieces from his furniture line with the Cisco Brothers through the store.

“I had been a fan of Derian for a while and had several pieces in my home before we started carrying his work at Bowood,” McPheeters says. “I’m really excited to be able to hang his pieces up in the new shop.”

The space, which is “more relaxed, quieter and smaller,” lends itself to a different experience than Bowood, McPheeters says.

“We’re able to have more of an interaction with the customers about how the products are made, where they’re made and what the materials are,” she says. “We put a lot of work into the finishes and the mood and atmosphere here. You can smell the candle we’re burning [as you walk in], and you can notice the scent of the flowers. It’s a nice mood to walk into, and it’s an important part of the shopping experience right now.”

The three McPheeters businesses offer completely different experiences, but each one has unique ways it ties into the others. At Bowood, gardening enthusiasts will find a wide assortment of plants and garden gifts in a greenhouse-style atmosphere. Cafe Osage offers breakfast and lunch classics, focused on seasonal, fresh foods grown in Bowood’s CWE garden. And at Holliday, customers can top off their Olive Street shopping experience with unique gifts and accessories for the home.

Holliday perfectly rounds out the trifecta, giving visitors to this particular section of the CWE a place to fully experience what the McPheeters family has to offer: nourishment for the land, body and home.

This story was originally published at laduenews.com. Read it on LN’s website here.

Ladue News Feature Stories

A Novel Idea

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UNICEF estimates that an average of 353,000 babies are born every day around the world, and an estimated 264 million children aren’t getting an education. What if each of those babies were given a library card and access to his or her local library’s resources right from day one? St. Louis County Library is making that a reality in the metro area with its Born to Read program.

As the library expanded its efforts to reach as many children and families as possible, it created a new program in 2015: Born to Read. Library director Kristen Sorth says this program was implemented to reach families “at the earliest possible moment” – and what could be earlier than the moment a new family member enters the world?

“We want to convey the importance of reading and introduce reading into the daily routine at the beginning of a child’s life,” Sorth says. “That’s why we came up with the idea to reach parents at the very first moment they have with their newborn in the hospital.”

The Born to Read program ensures that every baby born in St. Louis County receives a library card. New parents at participating hospitals receive a bag that contains a book, early literacy information, a library card, a Cardinals beanie and a voucher for two Cardinals tickets, along with other items.

The program started with just a few hospitals but has grown to include Mercy Hospital South, SSM DePaul Health Center, St. Clare Health Center, Missouri Baptist Medical Center, SSM St. Mary’s Health Center, St. Luke’s and – most recently – Mercy Hospital St. Louis, which was added in January.

“We know hospitals and maternity wards are busy, so we worked with them to come up with the most convenient way to deliver this information,” Sorth says. “We came up with the idea for this bag and expanded [what came in it] as we started talking to private funders and organizations in St. Louis that wanted to be a part of it.”

Born to Read is funded primarily through the St. Louis County Library Foundation, along with other area organizations and corporations like Cardinals Care, Great Southern Bank and Delta Dental, to name a few.

The program’s funding has allowed bags to be delivered far and wide in St. Louis County, with 47,000 families receiving a bag and library card since Born to Read’s inception. Hospitals handed out 12,000 bags in 2018 alone, and the addition of Mercy Hospital earlier this year will bring another 9,000 babies into the Born to Read family in 2019.

“I think having a child hear words and make a connection starting at birth means they’re going to have a great chance at staying on track in school,” Sorth says. “When they get to third and fourth grade, if they’re not at the right reading level, it’s hard for them to catch up. It’s important to get them interested and hear how words translate into stories.”

Sorth says the feedback from both parents and hospitals has been great over the years.

“We get a lot of people who send us photos of their babies in the hospital with their Born to Read bags,” she says. “Hospitals love it, too. The American Academy of Pediatrics includes reading to babies as one of the things doctors talk to new parents about. For the doctors, this is a really easy way to talk to parents about reading from the start.”

The Born to Read program serves as the initial kickoff to a child’s lifelong library experience, as well. As the child’s first birthday nears, parents receive an invitation to come to the library for a birthday celebration, where they receive another free book, the parents talk about early literacy with library staff, and staff members introduce the parents to all the programs the library features, like 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten. Library communications manager Jennifer McBride notes that it has seen an increase in attendance for parents and young children and hopes that increase is due to programming like Born to Read.

“Attendance at our children’s programs was up 10 percent in 2018 over the previous year,” she says. “I can’t attribute that directly to Born to Read, but it has definitely helped spread awareness of all the early literacy resources and programming available at the library.”

With an increase in foot traffic at the library, Sorth and her team hope to build on the programming that’s become so important to the organization’s mission.

“We really want to continue Born to Read long-term,” Sorth says. “And we want people to know that the library offers so many additional tools for caregivers to encourage kids and keep them engaged and learning.”

This story was originally published at laduenews.com. Read it on LN’s website here.

Happily Ever After Stories

Happily Ever After: Gertie and the Pontious Family

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Once upon a time, a Lab/Great Dane mix was lying on the side of the road. She had been hit by a car and went unattended for three days, waiting for someone to notice she needed help and was in pain. Eventually, ActNow Rescue picked her up, naming her Miracle because it was a miracle she’d survived. The dog would need immediate surgery on her injured leg to try to save it, however.

Out in St. Peter’s, Rachel Pontious and her family had fostered for ActNow for years. When she found out about Miracle, she immediately agreed to foster the recuperating 90-pound dog.

“I don’t understand how anyone could leave a dog on the side of the road in pain,” she says.

The pup came to the Pontious family right after her leg surgery, so she was under “cage rest” for a few months, meaning all she could do was go outside to use the bathroom, which even proved challenging at times. At one point, one of the pins in the dog’s leg came poking out, and she had to have another surgery to correct it. It wasn’t easy for Miracle, but she continued to get better – and make friends.

Rachel’s 5-year-old son has autism and never developed a bond with either of the other two Pontious dogs. However, Miracle was different.

“She’s the only dog he’s ever shown interest in,” Pontious says. “She loves him, and he loves her. … She needed to be ours.”

Gertie

The Pontious family has had the dog, now renamed Gertie, for a year. They assume she’s 2 or 3 years old and has “the sweetest demeanor.”

“She’s so gentle and loves everyone,” Pontious says.

The road to recovery has been a long one for Gertie, who still has two bad back legs. Her cranial cruciate ligament (similar to the ACL in humans) went out, and she had to undergo yet another surgery for it. But her life is improved drastically, now that she knows the love of a family and other dog friends.

“She loves to play with other dogs, chew on bones and go on car rides,” Pontious says. “She just loves attention and loves to eat. She’ll bark if it’s dinnertime and we haven’t fed her.”

Pontious also notes that Gertie’s very intuitive about the feelings of her people and is great at comforting those around her.

“She knows when I’m sad and how to cheer me up,” Pontious says. “I just love how sweet she is and how loving she can be.”

This story was originally published at laduenews.com. Read it on LN’s website here.

Ladue News Feature Stories

For the Love of Art

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Sarah Kelley and Mary Beth Bussen have known each other for more than 20 years, but they never dreamed they’d be running a shop together. But here, in 2019, the duo operates Union Studio in St. Louis’ Botanical Heights neighborhood, selling a wide variety of handcrafted goods and fine art. The best part? Everything in the shop is made by area residents.

Years ago, Bussen had been using the space at 1605 Tower Grove Ave. for her own personal textile work, sharing the storefront with another artist and maintaining a small retail footprint. Within her first year in the space, though, Bussen knew that she needed to figure out the focus for the storefront and that she’d need additional help.

“Just as I was writing up a job description and making the decision to expand the retail, [Kelley] walked in and said she was looking for a job,” Bussen says. “I wanted to create ongoing access to the high-quality work of artists in the community, and once [Kelley] came aboard, we really expanded that.”

When they first started Union Studio in April 2014, the duo carried the work of eight artists in the corner shop. Today, they carry more than 80.

“We’ve grown the retail aspect of things substantially in the last four years,” Kelley says. “What’s been nice about this space is, everything’s always happened organically. The combination of the community’s response and artist interest has led us to take on more and cultivate more relationships.”

Visitors to the shop will find a new selection of wares regularly, as the duo shifts out their supply to feature new pieces frequently. From local granola to pottery to handbags to skin care, Union Studio has a little something for everybody. Although the selection does change out regularly, there are a few things customers will always be able to find in-store, known as the Union Studio Collection. The set of items includes Al Westcott’s handleless mugs, Christiane Danna’s leaf earrings, Stone Leather Goods’ envelope purse and more.

“When people first walk in, we always ask if they’ve been in before,” Kelley says. “We tell them that everything is handmade and all artists are from St. Louis. [Bussen and I] personally know each and every person whose work is in here, and our customers have come to expect and cherish having that story to go with [their purchases]. I think that’s something really special.”

Oftentimes, customers use Union Studio as a gift shop and are drawn back repeatedly by the ever-changing selection, Kelley says. She notes the popularity of the shop’s “pantry” section, which features things like local honey, tea and granola.

“People like to give gifts that can be consumed and don’t have to have a place in somebody’s home,” she says of that popular exceptional section, which functions rather like an elevated impulse-buy area.

Customers are also drawn to the shop’s selection of clothing and accessories, including cozy pants from Annamaya Clothing by Alison Hyde, colorful pieces by Olivia Rae Designs and intricate jewelry from makers like Leia Zumbro and Jenny Walker.

The duo spends a lot of their time interacting with customers, taking the time to get to know them and find out what pieces they’re drawn to in the shop.

“There’s something special that happens in this space,” Bussen says. “People really are drawn to the work and the people that are doing it, whether it’s a cord wrap for your earbuds or a piece of large art for your home. I think people don’t always know what they’ll find, but they’re confident they’ll find something.”

As they celebrate their five-year anniversary this spring, the Union Studio ladies seek to open up the conversation even further.

“I think five years in, the shop is still ever-changing in its dynamic, but we want to have more sit-down conversations, whether it [be] with the artists or other business owners or members of the community in general,” Kelley says.

Bussen agrees, noting the reflective and loyal qualities in the shop’s customer base, along with the artists she and Kelley work with.

“We have a whole group of artists who are creative and generous to take a chance with us,” she says. “When you look at the people we have engaged in this space, it sure seems like there’s so much work to be done. Whether the work occurs in this physical space or broader, I think our hope is that we can start to understand what we can do with all these incredible people.”

This story was originally published at laduenews.com. Read it on LN’s website here.

Ladue News Feature Stories

Herb Your Enthusiasm

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According to a recent Harvard Business Review study, only 10 percent of Americans love cooking. Many see it as a chore and dread preparing meals for themselves and their families. Luckily, a Fenton-based company headed by nutritionist Hayley Sohn is on a mission to provide area residents with healthy options delivered straight to their doorsteps.

Sohn studied nutrition and exercise physiology at the University of Missouri and up until a few years ago was working as a nutrition educator, working with senior centers and children – teaching organizations like the Girls Scouts about healthy food habits.

“What I was always teaching people was that you need to be cooking at home if you’re going to be taking control of your health,” she says. “I realized people just don’t cook at home anymore. They’d tell me they only eat fast food and wanted to know the healthiest options there. I knew there had to be something else.”

As a trained nutritionist, Sohn was and is passionate about crafting healthy meals. She’d make and bring her lunch to the office every day, and her coworkers started to notice.

“They asked me if I’d cook a little extra, and they could buy it from me,” she says. “I realized this is the solution to what I was coming up against.”

When she was considering a career change in September 2017, she brought it up to her boyfriend, wanting to do something else.

“I think you’re already doing it,” Sohn recalls him saying.

Last January, Sohn officially started Basically It, a healthy subscription meal service company that delivers to the doorsteps of those in St. Louis County on Mondays. The ready-to-eat gluten-free meals range from $11 to $14 each (comparable to meal delivery services like Blue Apron and HelloFresh), with a one-week trial of five meals costing $70. Options include three-, six- and 16-week plans, along with a one-week trial option. Sohn and her chef, Shaquila Remtula, create four seasonal menus a year, with five menu options a week. Sohn serves as the nutritional guide, and Remtula crafts the tasty recipes from there.

“[Remtula] has an awesome culinary history,” Sohn says. “She’s lived all around the world and brings some of those flavors to the food.”

Right now, some of Basically It’s selections include options like chicken with Italian white beans, turkey meatloaf with cauliflower mash, cranberry-almond spinach salad, beef souvlaki (a type of Greek meat skewer) with charred broccoli, and a steak-and-asparagus quinoa bowl. Sohn and Remtula are currently working on their spring menu and have even put out a contest on Facebook to see what options their clients, often busy professionals or empty nesters, would like to see on the menu. Some that were brought into consideration include salmon cakes and an avocado-mango salsa.

“We try to showcase what’s coming out that season,” Sohn says. “For the spring menu, we’ll see a transition from winter to lighter foods. We’ll be phasing out the squashes and bringing in a lot more greens and pinks and reds, which I’m excited about.”

Sohn says vegetables are her favorite foods to experiment with because they have a “bad reputation.”

“I love experimenting with ways to use them that transform them into something you don’t expect,” she says. “Outside of that, I love exploring different flavor profiles from around the world and seeing how herbs and spices can work together. Those are so powerful and dense in nutrients.”

Sohn and Remtula’s flavor profiles and meal choices clearly have been working. In the year-plus since Basically It’s inception, customers have left rave reviews.

“The feedback about the food has been phenomenal,” Sohn says. “We’re really focused on making our food fantastic and good for you, too.”

In the coming year, Sohn aims to grow and expand Basically It to reach more people. She highlights the philosophy within the Basically It food: the “no diet” diet.

“You don’t have to be following a fad diet to be eating healthfully,” she says. “You should be eating in a way that fits your life. You can eat and be healthy and not be restrictive.”

This story was originally published at laduenews.com. Read it on LN’s website here.