West County Center in Des Peres is having a big birthday this September. While it first opened in 1969, the shopping center underwent a major expansion in 2002, bringing a revitalized retail experience to St. Louis. Now, it is marking two decades of serving the community in its new and improved capacity.
In honor of the milestone, West County Center is offering 20 giveaways throughout the year. The 17th is planned for Sept. 17 at the women’s clothing boutique White House | Black Market. The shopping center is partnering with The Fabulous Fox Theatre to give 20 visitors two tickets to Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations, which will be playing at the theater Sept. 20 through Oct. 2. The winners will be decided via a drawing at 10 a.m., and 20 additional shoppers will have the chance to receive a $20 gift card to White House | Black Market.
“For our anniversary, we want to thank everyone for their continued support of the center,” senior marketing director Sean Phillips says. “People can follow us on social media or visit our website to learn more about the final giveaways of the year. We’ll be holding them on Wednesday evenings from Nov. 30 to Dec. 14 to celebrate the holiday season, and we’ve got great prizes planned, including tickets to Elf the Musical.”
The anniversary giveaways are just one reason to visit West County Center this fall. The shopping center also is welcoming exciting new tenants, including locally owned streetwear brand Arch Apparel. In 2019, the company held a pop-up at West County Center, and following the success of that event, it’s now looking forward to establishing its fourth brick-and-mortar store at the mall. “We are beyond excited to open Arch Apparel’s newest location at West County Center in early October,” owner and CEO Chelsea Shepherd says. “We can’t wait to bring this store to life and look forward to providing our uniquely designed tees, hoodies, hats and accessories to both current and new customers this fall.”
Visitors can shop other local businesses like Across The Board Games, Chesterfield Baseball Cards, Imagine That Boutique, Pure Perfection Candles, Riviera Leather & Luggage, Snow Factory, Sole Cave and Watch Technicians. This fall, West County Center also will welcome locally owned retailers Mark Jenkins Footwear and Fan Cave, a sports memorabilia store owned by Rebecca and Ryan Houston. “Making the move to West County Center was a no-brainer for us,” Ryan says. “When looking for a new location, it really stood out. It’s not only a mall, but also a destination.”
To provide more opportunities to local companies, West County Center launched a new short-term leasing opportunity for local food operators called the Pop-Up Eatery. Businesses can rent the space and are given access to all of its equipment and appliances, as well as enjoying the higher visibility the shopping center offers. “We recently had our first tenant, Yogi Donuts,” Phillips says. “West County Center is part of the St. Louis community, so it is important that we support local businesses. Our goal is to help them be successful here among national retailers.”
With new offerings, stores and promotions, fall is an exciting time at West County Center in Des Peres. To celebrate its 20th anniversary, the shopping center is offering a series of giveaways. Pictured on the cover: Shirley Jorgensen, Marie Ryan, Michelle Windmeyer, Claudia Currie-Harris, Kaleigh McFall, Cynthia Edwards. For more information, visit shopwestcountycenter.com.
Cover design by Julie Streiler
Cover photo by Colin Miller of Strauss Peyton Photography
Pictured at top: White House | Black Market store sales manager Mitzi Jacobsen prepares for the Sept. 17 event.
Photo: Colin Miller of Strauss Peyton Photography
