new face
Melanie’s is celebrating 30 years as a St. Louis tradition! The Ladue staple on Clayton Road has served as a go-to spot for jewelry, handbags, hair bows, monogrammed accessories and more since opening in 1985. Some changes are on the horizon: Founder Melanie Bascom will hand over the reins to current manager, Tamara Netsch, who will take over ownership April 1.
climbing up
St. Louis-based Alpine Shop owners Russell and Lisa Hollenbeck are expanding their retail reach into Kansas. The couple, who opened their first outdoor sporting goods shop in Webster Groves in 1973, recently acquired The Pathfinder in Manhattan, Kansas. The new location will be the fifth for the Hollenbecks, who operate three stores in Missouri and one in Illinois.
mountainous presence
Gander Mountain, the nation’s largest outdoor specialty retailer, has arrived in the St. Louis area—and leading the company as chairman and CEO is St. Louisan David Pratt. Gander Mountain has a presence in Chesterfield with its 60,000-square-foot store at 18491 Outlet Blvd. Local celebs Mike Matheny and David Backes attended the grand opening celebration.
clear vision
Get ready to see in style! Elegant Readers, a 1,000-square-foot store that carries fashionable, high-quality readers and sun readers, recently opened in Ladue at 9838 Clayton Road. The only dedicated reading glasses store in town, it offers a range of frames priced from $15 to $175.
prom pop
Bruce and Nancy Lehtman are carrying on the tradition of their former store, Distinctions, with a new, 6,000-square-foot pop-up shop called Prommy Girl at West County Shopping Center. Located across from Forever 21 on the first floor, the store carries prom dresses from top brands like Sherri Hill, Jovani and Alyce, along with shoes, purses and earrings. New styles arrive daily. The Lehtmans, who co-own the shop with a company out of Chicago, say Prommy Girl will remain open through the end of April with the possibility of becoming a permanent shopping destination.
natural beauty
Blissoma founder Julie Longyear now has a storefront for her natural skin care line. Blissoma Botanical Beauty recently opened at 2730 LaSalle St. in the city. The line includes eco-friendly, allergy conscious, cruelty-free, plant-based and toxin-free skin care, makeup, and hair and nail products made in an on-site studio kitchen.
