Angela Meyer / co-owner, Loeb’s Mill Bar & Grill

About one hour southwest of St. Louis sits Rosebud, Missouri, a town with a population of 394. It’s a “blink-andyou-miss-it” type of place with one distinguishing quality: It’s a major antiquing destination, drawing customers from miles around. Rosebud’s eight antique stores vastly outnumber the two restaurants – one of which is Loeb’s Mill Bar & Grill. Loeb’s Mill serves as a watering hole for local folks and a pit stop for those passing through, with burgers, catfish, sandwiches, pizza and beer. Here, co-owner Angela Meyer tells us what it’s like to own a restaurant in a small town best known for its antique finds.

What are the pros and cons of operating a business in a town primarily known for its antique shops? The pros are [that] you get to meet a lot of different people and from all different areas. That’s fun. And then on that note, they bring more customers to you … We’ve got good days, we’ve got bad days; you’ve got the good times of the year and the bad times. So far, it’s more busy than slow.

Is there a season most antique enthusiasts come to Rosebud? The busiest season is summer, with bikers traveling from Lake of the Ozarks back to St. Louis. Along with the antique shops, that brings many people in from out of town. The [shop] across the street from us, The Rusty Gate, she’s open seven days a week. She gets a lot of traffic. If I have people in and they’re like, “Where’s a good place to shop?” I send them over to her. And then vice versa: [When people ask] “Where’s a good place to eat?” she sends them to us.

What can you tell us about the history of Loeb’s Mill Bar & Grill’s building? It was originally a feed mill in 1917. When my dad was a li le boy, he used to play here as a kid until it closed in the early 1970s. Another guy and his family bought it, and he made car wash soap here. When he retired, my dad, John Loeb, bought the building in 2015. We cleaned up and remodeled the entire building, and we opened the bar in August of 2017. The whole town has history. Almost every building [houses] antique shops.

What else is there to do around Rosebud?

In Sullivan, you’ve got the caverns. People can go visit Hermann for the day and enjoy all the wineries. We’ve got a couple of wineries around this area, like White Mule Winery. You have Pinckney Bend [Distillery] in New Haven. You’ve got Washington that has all the neat businesses along the riverfront. There is a lot to do; you just have to drive and enjoy the scenery.

What keeps you and your business in Rosebud?

Family. Rosebud’s home. It will always be home. My dad has lived here for 78 years.

Loeb’s Mill Bar & Grill, 205 US-50, Rosebud, Missouri, 573-764-5210, facebook.com/people/ Loebs-Mill-Bar-And-Grill

Antique Shops to Visit in Rosebud

THE RUSTY GATE

ANTIQUE MALL

Across the street from Loeb’s Mill Bar & Grill sits The Rusty Gate. It’s one of the few antique shops in town that’s open seven days a week – most are only open on the weekends – making it a reliable stop no ma er when you happen to pass through Rosebud.

RED BRICK ANTIQUES AND MORE

“And More” is the part you should be paying a ention to in this shop’s title. Red Brick Antiques recently started selling homemade baked goods and other local products out of its rustic antique shop, and it also offers a place for visitors to stay in a suite on the building’s second level.

ROSEBUD’S GRAND

ANTIQUE MALL

This antiquing gem is switching up its business style; it’s only open for in-person shopping twice this year (May 13 and Oct. 14). But business is booming in its online Facebook and Instagram stories, where it sells dozens of antiques each Tuesday night, available for pickup in Rosebud.