GOODS & SERVICES
BEST OF ST. LOUIS an maze, one guarded by the evasive, orange-aproned Keepers of the Tools, and why must we answer a series of riddles just to secure the products we’ve come to purchase? If you’ve ever found yourself asking that question while traversing the expansive grounds of one of the big-name chains, you need to bring your business to Overland Hardware Co. A cornerstone of the Overland community, this shop harkens back to the days of small-town service and knowledgeable staff in a hardware store — a simpler, more merciful time when compared to the experience in your average Lowe’s or Home Depot. Here, the secrets of the hardware store game have been passed down to employees for decades — family secrets, even, being that the shop’s current owners are the sons of those who first opened the Overland Hardware Co. all those years ago. In short, they have what you need, and they are ready to answer your questions. Just don’t ask them why people waste so much time and money at the chain stores — no one in their right mind has a good answer for that. DANIEL HILL
Kris Kleindiest and Jarek Steele have been perfecting the art of bookselling for decades. | THEO WELLING
BEST SMOKE SHOP
Emporium Smoke Shop 6254 Delmar Boulevard, 314-721-6277
With the legalization of medicinal marijuana in the state of Missouri a done deal, the wink-wink, nudge-nudge days of raising an eyebrow at a head shop employee and telling him you want, um, a “water pipe“ for your, er, “tobacco” are now solidly in the rearview mirror — but you can bet they haven’t been forgotten by the proprietors of Emporium Smoke Shop. That’s because the Delmar Loop establishment has been in this game for decades now — since 1997 — and with all that time and experience comes a whole lot of institutional knowledge. This is good for new, er, “patients” (we’ll still be using that terminology for the time being) who don’t know a batty from a zeppelin, a dab rig from a dugout, or if it’s really necessary to drop $800 on a bespoke handblown glass piece with magic mushroom detailing (it’s assuredly not, but hot damn that Chad G fella has some serious skills). The friendly staff at Emporium will be more than happy to walk you
through their wares and help to meet your needs, whether you’re dealing with flower or e tract or vapes, or even keeping it low-key with CBD. And when you spot an intriguing piece of glassware among the many lining the walls, do feel free to call it a “bong,” but don’t call it a comeback — Emporium has been here for years.
antique store), the items displayed have been put up for sale by people with all different kinds of taste. The individually styled booths offer a wide range of goods, and some are frequently switched out, meaning that each visit to Treasure Aisles could reveal a new previously hidden treasure. JAIME LEES
DANIEL HILL
BEST ANTIQUE MALL
Treasure Aisles Antique Mall 2317 South Big Bend Boulevard; 314-647-6875
If you think about it, it’s kind of weird that we go to antique stores looking for something new to buy. But not all antique stores are filled with ust dusty old books and rusted “decorative” farm equipment from last century. Treasure Aisles Antique Mall has something for everyone, from classic antique furniture to clothing styles from the ’80s that are so retro they’re back in style again. Because it’s an antique mall (and not just a single
BEST THRIFT SHOP
Found By The Pound 3232 South Grand Boulevard, 314-833-3252 and 6740 Romiss Court, Berkeley; 314-524-5493
This thrift shop outlet lets you buy your clothes for $3 per pound at its north St. Louis County location, called The Factory. Its South Grand location, The Boutique, offers clothes sold by the piece. Found By The Pound’s two locations embrace “the different aspects of resale and encourage you to explore both!” The clothes come in quantities of hundreds of pounds and hit the shelves for St. Louisans. The clothes are meant to match the “hip, funky, bohemian vibe of South St. Louis City.” The company also recycles
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any clothing that is not used for retail. MATT WOODS
BEST WEED DOCTOR
Dr. Pratistha Strong, Kathmandu Clinic 10807 Big Bend Road Suite 1, Kirkwood; 918-814-3996
Sure, there are ways to get your hands on a medical marijuana card without the doctor’s office experience. There is, in fact, something of a cottage industry around the practice. Consider the case of the Brentwood-based Health City MD and its so-called “CannaBus,” a van that traveled the state throughout the summer of 2019 making stops at head shops and the like for the express purpose of providing physician’s certifications en masse to long lines of would-be patients. But that rather slapdash approach can feel shady as hell — consider the fact that the CannaBus came under investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol last fall for allegedly selling weed illegally. For those legitimate patients with medical
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