What’s it like to be a mom living in the Tower Grove South neighborhood? Pretty amazing! I absolutely adore living here, and I feel like we’ve found a place that really lets us soak up the best parts of living in the city.
Here’s a closer look.
Tower Grove South is definitely urban. It’s the area bounded by Arsenal (the street running to the south of Tower Grove Park), South Grand (the street filled with all the great restaurants and shops), Chippewa (the street that gives us quick access to tons of our most frequent services), and Kingshighway (the street that gives us quick access to the highway). You really can’t get more centrally located!
Even in the heart of the hustle and bustle of the city, Tower Grove South truly feels like a neighborhood. People are always out walking around, and the houses are covered in decorations for holidays. It’s walkable, friendly, and filled with fun! It is also packed with gorgeous two-story brick houses that happen to be my personal favorite.
Let’s start with the obvious: Tower Grove Park. We walk to the park all of the time. My husband and I both run there. When we walk as a family, we usually go to the small playground on the east end of the park (sometimes stopping to grab ice cream at the Tower Grove Creamery on the way!). Our homeschool playgroup often has park days at the big playground at Center Cross, and we go there year-round. In the summer, we’ll cool off in the fountain splash pad. In the winter, we’ll bundle up and shake off the cabin fever (but it doesn’t have any good hills for sledding— we learned that one the hard way).
Our neighborhood is also home to McDonald Park, which has a nice big soccer field and a sizable playground. On top of that, South Grand has a little pocket park that is often the center of outdoor events.
As far as activities for kids, I love, love, love our library (the Carpenter branch of Saint Louis Public Library). They’ve got amazingly friendly staff and a rotating schedule of engaging activities for all ages. There’s also Artscope located in Tower Grove Park, and it’s one of my daughter’s favorite summer camp locations.
There are so many events in our neighborhood that I can’t possibly list them all. Our annual favorites are the South Grand Chalk Walk and the Terror at Tower Grove—the annual (and free!) Halloween celebration.
We can’t forget the Festival of Nations, which offers a stunning display of art, music, and food from dozens of countries around the world. Of course, there’s a farmer’s market that comes twice a week throughout the warmer months. Once a month, there’s Food Truck Friday in Tower Grove Park. There’s also a children’s summer concert series in the park, and Tower Grove Park has been picked to host one of North America’s first major Pokémon Go events.
I’m not much of a shopper, but South Grand and Morganford each offer lots of unique stores, many with locally produced and handmade products. Some notable mentions here are Dunaway Books, Found by the Pound, Apotheosis Comics and Lounge, and Zee Bee Market.
One of the things I love most about my neighborhood is how walkable it is, and that definitely includes grocery stores. I am about a five-minute walk away from Schnucks, ten from Aldi, and fifteen from Local Harvest. I frequent all three regularly. Jay International Foods is also a true gem.
What are you looking for? Brunch? Check out Rooster. Mexican? Head to Alta Calle. Mediterranean? The Vine. Vietnamese? Pho Grand or Lemongrass. Thai? King & I. Sushi? Café Mochi. Ice cream? The Gelateria or Tower Grove Creamery. Vegetarian and vegan fare? Lulu’s, The Tree House, Pizza Head, or Terror Taco. Fancy tea? The London Tea Room. Coffee and a place to work? MoKaBe’s or Hartford Coffee Company.
We have everything!
I think the hidden gems of my neighborhood are less about a particular place to shop and more about the general feeling of being there. I love how many different languages I hear spoken when I’m walking down the street. I love seeing all the people strolling around Tower Grove Park: young families pushing strollers, college kids out for a run, people walking their dogs, preteens stretching their independence walking around together. It’s such a beautiful mix of different stages of life, all convening in one space.
I grew up in a rural area, so I had no roadmap for how to raise kids in the middle of a city. Luckily, this place makes it easy. My kids are surrounded by friends and plenty to do. The city is full of wonders and inspiration, and I’m excited to live here and see what comes next.
