Alexis Zotos
Zotos’ podcast is a labor of love for the city of St. Louis. Each episode she interviews movers and shakers in the community and highlights some of the coolest events and people. Give it a listen next time you find yourself in traffic on Highway 40.
Reshma Chamberlain + Lori Coulter
Direct to consumer, designer quality swimsuits for under $100 in fun designs and patterns. Local ladies, Reshma Chamberlain and Lori Coulter have created a global swimsuit movement with their signature premium recycled fabrics, built in UPF of 50+, and suits with four times the compression of an average suit (hello summer bod!). Olio’s female founder is obsessed with these suits and thinks you should be too.
Gillyon Alexander + Katy Ferguson
StrongHer MOM Empowerment Expo
StrongHer is a women’s only fitness company that seeks to empower women through functional fitness and strength training. They work with all fitness levels, from women who have never touched a weight/barbell, all the way to experienced athletes. Check their Facebook page for class info and times.
Bonus: They are hosting their first annual MOM Empowerment Expo at The Heights next months.
Kate Bethel
Maven specializes in hand-crafted soaps, soy wax candles, and bath and body products. All of their products are made in-store, located in the heart of Maplewood. Their signature scents like “My Boyfriends T-Shirt” and “Little Black Dress” come in bath bombs, natural deodorants, scrubs, lotions, and more.
Marie Anne Velasco
Nudo House STL is the brainchild of Mai Lee’s Qui Tran and Marie Anne Velasco. The noodle house has become an instant St. Louis favorite with its variety of ramen options, plus lots of great other food—namely their rotating soft serve selection. Before becoming a ramen machine, Marie Anne was a pastry chef, and honestly, her soft serve can be life-changing.
Simone Faure
What Simone Faure does at Chouquette is straight up edible art. There’s a reason her cakes have been featured in Martha Stewart’s Weddings magazine: They’re amazing. Whether you’re looking for something as playful as an emoji cake or as involved as an eight-tiered wedding cake, she can do it better than just about anyone else. If a whole cake isn’t in the cards for you, you can always pop into the shop for smaller French pastries, macarons, and, if you’re lucky, a slice of cake.
Lisa Govro
Big Heart Tea is solely responsible for planting a love of tea in our coffee loving hearts. The Midwest-based, woman-owned tea company is on a covert mission to make people feel good through healing herbs and tea. They describe themselves as “scrappy spice millers, herb blenders, tea crafters, chai brewers, innovators, and magic makers”. Get the Cup of Sunshine or the Royal Treatment to see what we’re talking about.
Natalie Van Hee
Candles that smell amazing with scents that last and last and last? Yup! Get yourself a Glow Candle and you won’t look at other candles the same way again. Poured in her Lafayette Square studio, Natalie’s candles can be purchased online or you can follow her on Facebook to track her next pop up location. Don’t pass up the Heirloom Tomato or the Mediterranean Fig scented candles.
Emily Parker-Lampe
Schlafly Head of Brewery Operations
Brewing beer has long been a man’s game, but at just 32, Emily Parker-Lampe is the Head of Brewing Operations, overseeing Schlafly’s team of brewers and production of over 70 beers a year. She was even recognized by Wine Enthusiast as a Top 40 Under 40. As if we needed another reason to drink Schlafly!
Loryn Nalic
If you haven’t heard of Loryn Nalic and her restaurant/food truck, Balkan Treat Box, it’s probably fair to say you have been living under a rock. Not only have they been written about nearly 1,000 times by the local publications (for good reason!), they’ve been featured multiple times by Food and Wine and some other big name publications. Loryn’s food focuses primarily on Bosnian and Turkish cuisine done in a contemporary way. Everyone likes it. Literally everyone.
