Get in the Loop!
What to do in U. City
A melting pot of neighborhoods help make up the unique character of St. Louis. You have The Ville and The Hill with their rich histories, not to mention Soulard and Lafayette Square. As a St. Louisan, you can tour any area within our wonderful destination and experience great cuisine, beautiful architecture, meet interesting people or learn about community history. University City is one of those areas.
University City had a most unusual beginning. Now known as an intellectual and artistic community of ethnic, economic and cultural diversity, University City was the brainchild of Edward Gardner Lewis, a Connecticut entrepreneur who came to St. Louis in the late 1890s peddling insect exterminating products and medicines and then built a publishing business.
Lewis and his wife Mabel had purchased a tract of land just west of the city limits and adjacent to the newly created Washington University campus including the area that is now The Loop neighborhood. Lewis envisioned building a new city there that would be a center of culture and learning, and he wanted to turn a major piece of his holdings adjacent to the commercial center he was building into modern subdivisions.
To house the offices of his publication empire, he built an unusual five-story octagon building of limestone and brick on the western edge of what today is The Loop neighborhood. For the top of the building, Lewis purchased a powerful searchlight which, it was said, could be seen in Kansas City, 300 miles away. The building, sometimes referred to as the “Magazine Building,” is now the University City Hall, and the beacon was recently restored and used on special occasions. The nearby building that was Lewis’ printing plant now houses the city’s police and fire departments.
Just beyond his unusual office building, Lewis built what he called the “Gates of Opportunity,” monumental gates on either side of Delmar, each topped by a lion. The gates and the lions have become a landmark in the area. I bet all this time you were wondering why lions were posted at the entrance of the Loop, now you know.
Lewis’ growing educational and commercial activities helped make the area a streetcar hub and indirectly helped give the neighborhood its name – The Loop. The trolleys made a U-turn or “Loop” at the end of the line and soon that was a handy way of referring to the nearby area.
University City was incorporated in 1906, and Lewis was appointed its first mayor. With an exploding population and easy access to the city via streetcar, The Loop became a thriving neighborhood. Blueberry Hill, opened in The Loop, and in 1975, the Market in the Loop opened. The additional businesses began to draw more visitors to the area.
Today’s Loop is an exciting neighborhood filled with more than 140 specialty shops, outdoor cafes, ethnic restaurants, pubs, trendy galleries and theatres. It extends along Delmar Boulevard from westernmost St. Louis to the massive granite gates that mark the end of the University City commercial district. The Loop is also home to the St. Louis Walk of Fame, a unique walkway filled with stars and plaques embedded in the sidewalk to commemorate St. Louisans who have made contributions to the national cultural scene.
Development is continuing as The Loop expands eastward toward the historic Wabash Station, a former train terminal. Several buildings in the 6100 block of Delmar have been renovated and new shops and restaurants have opened. Long-term plans include a fixed-track trolley system linking The Loop with the Missouri History Museum making the neighborhood easily accessible to the 12 million visitors to Forest Park each year via the Forest Park MetroLink stop.
If you haven’t visited The Loop lately, mark your calendar for the following events:
September 30
Saturdays at the Market
At the Market in The Loop
“Chef’s at the Market” featuring local chefs. Fresh produce, plants & flowers, arts & crafts, chef demonstrations, live music & more. For information visit www.saturdaysatthemarket.com.
September 29
Oldies Radio 103.3 FM KLOU Welcomes
Denim & Diamonds 4
At The Pageant
Featuring Groovethang performing a 70’s Dance Melody • Doors: 7 p.m. • Doors: 8 p.m. General Admission – Limited Seating: $25 • 21 & Older Only • For information call (314) 726-6161 or visit www.thepageant.com.
September 30
Come Shake It Up in The Loop (Around The Pageant)
Live Music & Sidewalk Sale
Shopping Starts at Noon; Music Starts at 2 p.m.
Fifi’s, V.Vegaz, Big Shark, Mirasol, Donnaland Vintage Variety, Gabby’s, Chinese Noodle Cafe, and TNT Designs.
October 7
Loop in Motion Arts Festival
Throughout The Loop
The Loop de Loop parade kicks off at 11 a.m. on Delmar. The festival continues at Noon with five stages featuring more than 20 bands and dance groups. Children’s art activities, food booths, sidewalk sales and artists demonstrations continue throughout the day. For information call (314) 727-8000.
October 18
Celebrating His 80th Birthday!
Chuck Berry
In The Duck Room at Blueberry Hill
At 9 p.m. • $25 flat • For information call (314) 727-4444 or visit www.blueberryhill.com.
To learn more about Loop events, restaurants and shops log onto www.ucityloop.com