5 Reasons to ‘Meet Me in St. Louis’

5 Reasons to ‘Meet Me in St. Louis’

“Wait – that’s happening in St. Louis?” I hear this frequently, in the voice of out-of-town friends or while chatting with folks while traveling for business, that familiar St. Louis surprise. Despite all the headlines and growing coverage of Gateway City advances over the past decade, St. Louis remains one of the best-kept secrets in the country. 

As a born-and-raised St. Louisan, I’m consistently surprised by our low profile everywhere outside the baseball field (go, Cardinals!). Sure, little pockets of St. Louis greatness—toasted ravioli, our colorful hockey team, a certain curved monument—have found fame on either side of the Mississippi. But so much of what makes this city great is flying under the radar.

If you think you need to live in Silicon Valley to work in a thriving tech community making a real-world impact, think again. Here are 5 reasons that St. Louis is cooler than you think it is.

1.      Our startup scene is in full swing. In 2016, Business Insider ranked St. Louis the fastest-growing startup scene in the United States. St. Louis is home to the Cortex, a 200-acre innovation hub and technology district that will house 15,000 tech jobs; and T-Rex, an entrepreneur community that is now home to 200 companies, including 180 startups. Wall Street is taking notice: St. Louis was the fastest growing area for total funding for tech start-ups in 2014, according to CB Insights.

2.      St. Louis is the epicenter of AgTech. The highest concentration of plant science PhDs in the world call St. Louis home. And the field just keeps growing. 39 North—a new innovation district just a short walk from Monsanto’s world headquarters in St. Louis County—will focus on building upon the region’s leadership in AgTech and plant science while working to attract startups too.

3.      It’s family-friendly (and everyone-else friendly, too). Midwesterners really are as nice as the stereotype says—and if you don’t believe us, we’ll convince you over a pork steak and one of our local brews at the neighborhood barbecue. Our schools consistently receive top rankings, and the kid-friendly attractions could keep you busy every weekend of the year. There are plenty of adult-friendly attractions as well—great venues to see live music, like the Pageant and our LouFest each fall—and a diverse restaurant scene that boasts numerous James Beard winners and finalists. My husband and I often play tourist with our three children. We explore the Magic House, a children’s museum regularly cited among the best in the country, and see the Clydesdales at Grant’s Farm. On these days, I try to see the city I know so well through the eyes of a newcomer. I’m proud to say I still love what I see.

4.      Summertime and the (cost of) living is easy. Whether you’re looking for a funky downtown loft or a sprawling house with a fenced-in backyard, it’s doable here. St. Louis is one of the most affordable places to buy a home in the country. 

5.      Your entertainment dollars stretch far. St. Louis is packed full of fun things to do—and a lot of them are free. The St. Louis Zoo was named Readers’ Choice for Best Zoo in the United States by USA Today this year and named America’s Best Free Attraction last year. Forest Park, one of the largest urban parks in the country, was recently named among the “15 Most Beautiful Parks in the World” by Fodor’s Travel. This beautiful space is 500 acres bigger than Central Park and home to world-class history and art museums and America's oldest, largest outdoor musical theater.

Tracie Harrell

Executive Assistant to Vice Chancellor Student Affairs at St. Louis Community College

6y

I always feel like St. Louis is the biggest "small town" around. St. Louis may be the hub, but part of the "hometown feel" success is that it sprawls out to each suburban community and literally "bridges" into the surrounding communities of St. Charles, St. Peters, O'Fallon, Webster Groves, Kirkwood, Florissant, Clayton, Kimmswick, etc. in Missouri and the same on the East side to Collinsville, Belleville, O'Fallon, Troy, and other Illinois communities. We can add Kimmswick's Strawberry and Apple Butter Festivals, St. Charles' "Festival of The Little Hills" and "Christmas Traditions" - just to name a few. Every community has a strong sense of "community" and it bridges across the regions. St. Louis really is a special place and there is a lot of "hometown pride." Just ask anyone! :-)

Jeff Woessner

Information Technology Business Partner at Bayer Crop Science

6y

Don't forget our world-class botanical garden, and the hidden gem of its arboretum in west county!

You forgot to mention our soccer prowess!

Bryant Webster

Here for everyone | Problem Solver @ WashU STL

6y

I love St. Louis and all the freedom it has to offer. Any walk of life can find entertainment and peace if you know where to look.

To view or add a comment, sign in

Insights from the community

Explore topics