Shoes in the window of Mesa Home  |  Photo By Emily Thenhaus

Brandin Vaughn  |  Photo By Phillip Hamer

Fashion by Brandin Vaughn 

Megan McCalla, owner of Your Friend's Apartment | Photo By Phillip Hamer

Clothing racks at Your Friend's Apartment |  Photo By Phillip Hamer

And as for her role in the growing story of fashion in St. Louis? Give people something special.

“Your Friend’s Apartment is just a curated space that has a little bit of something for anyone, and I think it’s just a really special and interesting place to visit,” she says. “I like when people come in and say they feel at home. The store has a nice calming energy, and is a nice space to shop and enjoy your time. I try to keep very zen vibes in here, and hopefully they feel like they’re at home and find something different.”

Follow Your Friend’s Apartment on Instagram and stop by the shop Saturday 11am-4pm and Sunday 12-4pm. 

Inside Profield Reserve  |  Photo By Phillip Hamer

Everyday leisure with a sleek, athletic twist

At Profield Reserve, sporting is a vibe. The unisex brand features everyday leisurewear with sleek, gorgeous lines in everything from minimalistic pieces to graphics-led apparel. 

“It’s just a blend of art, design, and cultures,” owner Chriss Loss said. 

Loss was a Cherokee Street regular even before he and his partners opened the shop in March 2020. He noticed an available storefront on his way to get a haircut, and was drawn to put his dream into motion.

“I just love the area, and the opportunity to have a retail space down here was really cool,” Loss said. “From day one the community took me in, showed me the ropes, and told me what to expect on Cherokee.”

Chris Loss of Profield Reserve  |  Photo By Phillip Hamer

Two and a half years later, the business is thriving, and Loss says Profield Reserve will soon extend into womenswear and kids’ apparel. His athletic-inspired wear is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to what makes Cherokee Street St. Louis’ fashion HQ; the secret to its style, he says, is that you can visit the street for a mix of fresh takes on fashion.

“We offer so many different things down here from the leisure athletic wear that I offer to vintage to one-on-one cut-and-sew,” Loss said. “It’s developing into a really cool eclectic place where you can find a little bit of everything.”

Stephanie Larmier of Ruby Francis  |  Photo By Phillip Hamer

Mannequins at Ruby Francis |  Photo By Phillip Hamer

Larimer is a champion of Cherokee street—she even lives above the store—and has been since the store joined the street in 2015.

“Cherokee Street is just a really cool, raw, grassroots area that seemed to focus on small businesses,” she said. “It’s just super diverse and eclectic and historic. We just thought it was a great spot to open a store.”

She’s also a champion of her fellow fashion entrepreneurs, and says she’s thrilled at the amount of creativity that’s bloomed along Cherokee Street year by year.

“New, handmade, vintage, thrift, all kinds of shops started popping up,” Larimer said, “The newer generations know it more as the fashion district. Cherokee is becoming a source for vintage, handmade, and fashion in general.”

Keep up with the shop on Instagram, and stop by Thursday & Friday 11AM-6PM or Saturdays & Sundays from 11AM - 6PM.

Crafting an ethical capsule wardrobe.

Sustainable, size inclusive fashion at a fair price has a home at Ardently, which seeks to encourage environmentally friendly living practices. Ardently is your one-stop shop for crafting a capsule wardrobe sustainably. Stop in the store at 2001 Cherokee, or browse the collection online. 

A well-curated collection of vintage items

The fascinating collection of Retro 101/Cherry Bomb Vintage lives at 2214 Cherokee, where you’ll find mid centry modern furniture and apparel—including a 40 foot wall of stunning retro coast in fantastic condition. Stop by the store, or browse the items on Facebook.

Hats and belts at Carrillo Western Wear  |  Photo By Phillip Hamer

Lorenzo and Maria Carrillo have been on Cherokee Street for 19 years; they outgrew their original shop at Cherokee and Texas streets, moving into the vast space they now occupy at 2822 Cherokee. And they continue to grow, offering more and more authentic and high-quality Western clothing and accessories as the years go on.

Carrillo Western Wear is on a bustling block right in the heart of Cherokee Street, surrounded by authentic Latin restaurants, bakeries, and businesses.

“Cherokee is a very busy street, with all kinds of businesses, and lots of people come to the Street to shop,” Lorenzo Carrillo said. “They may come for Mexican food, or for the bread or really nice bakeries we have, but they should come and visit us!”

 Maria & Lorenzo Carrillo of Carrillo's Western Wear  |  Photo By Phillip Hamer

While Carrillo says his favorite items in the store are the shirts — thick, beautiful pearl snaps with impossibly gorgeous details and a variety of prints—Carrillo Western Wear offers everything from boots to hats to belts to Western-inspired jewelry.

“People see that we sell Western wear and say, ‘Wow! Western wear downtown,’” he said. “Visitors say we have a lot of variety, and that they can find everything [they need] in one store.”

Carrillo says his customers are a mix of regulars and new visitors, who pop in during weekend visits to Cherokee and are delighted to see an array of Western wear right in the heart of the City.

The business continues to grow, and the Carrillos even had the chance to relocate to a larger spot on Broadway; but the couple says they’re here to stay.

“The best part of the community is that we have all different cultures, and people of all ages,” Lorenzo Carrillo said. “I think it’s one of the best things here on Cherokee Street. We don’t want to leave.”

Stop by the store at 2646 Cherokee, and keep up with the Carrillos on Facebook.

Jeff & Randy Vines of STL Stylehouse |  Photo By Phillip Hamer

Because you can't spell "style" without STL

Twin brothers Jeff and Randy Vines opened STL Style House in 2010, putting their lifelong passion for the City of St. Louis to good use as a city-centric apparel store. Pieces at STL Style House have a friendly, cheeky voice that shows the Vines brothers understand the city — and its neighborhoods, people, and charming idiosyncrasies — inside and out.

The store, which opened in 2010 after the brothers noticed that your run-of-the-mill St. Louis gear didn’t really reflect the city’s unique character, now offers full-service graphic design with custom screen printing. Jeff Vines says they love being a part of Cherokee Street, and consider the neighborhood one of the best in St. Louis.

“Cherokee Street, in our minds, represents everything we love about St. Louis,” Jeff said. “Very urban, unpolished. Cherokee Street has the grit and historic charm that makes a neighborhood special. That’s our purpose; to introduce people to the City and spread the love and passion.”

St. Louis patches at STL Stylehouse  |  Photo By Phillip Hamer

Tammy Heet & Kay Miller of Assassin Vintage   |  Photo By Phillip Hamer

Where creative vision meets vintage fun

Assassin Vintage co-owners Tammy Heet and Kay Miller are celebrating one year of their brick and mortar on Cherokee Street. The friends and creative partners began their apparel venture on Etsy, then launched their own website and had booths at pop-up markets around town. But the second they stepped into their Cherokee Street space, previously occupied by Golden Gems, they felt at home.

“It was the dream building for us,” Heet said. “I feel like there’s an amazing diverse collection of businesses in the heart of this Cherokee Street community.” 

The shop reflects Heet and Miller’s creative taste and excellent eye for unique vintage pieces. The two share a common vision for the collection, but bring different perspectives to their carefully-curated offerings.

“Not all vintage is created equal,” Heet said. “I feel like we have really killer vintage. We pick all the pieces ourselves, and pride ourselves on making our vintage like new. Every piece you pick up is going to be mended and stitched and cleaned and ready to wear. We bring you cool, distinctive vintage style that’s ready to enjoy.”

Accessories at Assassin Vintage  |  Photo By Phillip Hamer

The two say the people and pulse of the neighborhood continues to inspire their love of fashion and creativity.

“I’ll just be standing here, and see people walk by—interesting people dressed in different kinds of clothing,” Heet said. “It’s inspiring to see the fashion.”

That “inspiration is everywhere” mentality means that Heet and Miller are all about embracing fashion in all forms.

“It’s really all about celebrating their own individual style and accentuating that style and I think that the businesses around here are similar to that, we’re not cookie-cutter,” Miller said. “We don’t want the people who come in here to feel like they want to be cookie-cutter.”

Browse the collection online, or stop by the store at 3156 Cherokee.

Mesa Home  |  Photo By Phillip Hamer

Approachable vintage meets artistic expression.

If the racks at Mesa Home look like they were picked out by two very different people with a shared eye for fashion, it’s because they were. The vintage clothing shop is a breath of fresh air: funky, approachable, affordable fashion just begging to be worn.

Co-curator James Coleman, who works alongside owner Anni Jones, says he and Jones both add items to the collection on a regular basis.

“We are different enough that our style is set apart but still works together,” he said. “It’s just a great variety of vintage and antique, just our version of artistic expression through fashion.”

Cherokee Street is the perfect spot for their vision to live, Coleman says, because the pulse of the neighborhood is welcoming to businesses and appreciative of innovation.

James Coleman of Mesa Home  |  Photo By Phillip Hamer

And as for Mesa Home’s role in St. Louis’ fashion district?

“We love to be approachable, we love to be affordable,” Coleman said. “Nothing feels stiff or uncomfortable. We like to keep it nice and chill, welcoming and warm. Fly as hell.”

See what’s new at Mesa Home by following them on Instagram.

Inside Restyled by Izzy  |  Photo courtesy of Restyled by Izzy

Designer resale meets vintage charm.

Fans of secondhand clothing are often looking for those offbeat hidden gems that make thrifting so thrilling. But sometimes they’re searching for basics—affordable, sustainable, contemporary—to round out their wardrobe. Restyled by Izzy, the newest addition to Cherokee Street’s thriving fashion district, offers a little bit of both.

“We are different in that we stock modern, current inventory from the likes of prominent retailers like Resolve,” says shop owner Izzy Polanco. “And then we have our more special pieces, like the curated vintage clothing, jewelry, handbags, and a few designer pieces mixed in that I personally scout.” 

Polanco searched all over the St. Louis area for the perfect neighborhood to launch her store, but says nothing felt like home until she looked on Cherokee.

“I’ve always known about Cherokee, but I didn’t know about the history and the resale community that’s down here,” she said. “But I think driving my decision was that I spoke with one of the Cherokee Street leaders, and she told me that the Mexican community kept the neighborhood thriving during the pandemic. Being Latina, I wanted to be with my people. It’s not about if, but when, I make it—I want to be able to say I was with my people when I started out.”

Fans of resale clothing will find a cozy space that seeks to excite, not overwhelm. It’s a comfortable shopping experience, Polanco says, and one that perfectly fits into what makes Cherokee’s fashion world so special.

“I see Cherokee and fashion as one,” Polano said. “Everyone on Cherokee is big on identity and individualism. It’s a very eclectic community, and that’s exactly what fashion is: an avenue to express oneself however you see fit. There are no rules in fashion. Fashion is one of the most inclusive yet unique medium to each one of us—and so is Cherokee Street.”

Stop by Restyled by Izzy at 2610 Cherokee Street, or get updates on Instagram. Store hours are Thursday-Saturday from 11am to 5pm, and Sunday from 11am to 4.30pm.  
 

Accessories at Restyled by Izzy  |  Photo courtesy of Restyled by Izzy

City Mouse Vintage owners Abbie and Casey  |  Photo courtesy of Jason Deem

Vintage essentials meet unexpected finds.

If you need it, they probably have it. And that’s whether “it” is a pre-loved Carhart coat, a Carrie Bradshaw-approved sequin clutch, or that perfect little piece of decor to make your gallery wall complete. 

City Mouse Vintage has the perfect mix of ready-to-wear finds and unexpected gems. And that’s part of the charm, says Abbie Belliston.

“You can find something for everybody in here,” she said. “We’re a little quirky, a little silly. We have some high-end things but also just some fun, old, weird, stuff.”

Belliston co-owns the shop with her sister, Casey Miller. Miller is a longtime Cherokee Street resident and business owner; she owned popular breakfast spot the Mud House and the beloved Vista Ramen, and now owns Dead Wax Records. 

But for the sisters, the foray into vintage fashion was a long time coming.

“Our mom has been an antique dealer all our lives so we kind of just lived in this world of weird, old, stuff,” Belliston said. “We went the clothing route with it.”

City Mouse began as pop-ups around town, from outside of Dead Wax to local vintage shopping event May’s Night Market. They found their current space as 2618 Cherokee through Casey’s connections with other Cherokee business owners; they operated there as a pop-up until the spot became the permanent home of City Mouse in September 2023.

Belliston admits that opening a brick-and-mortar store in 2023—the age of online shopping domination—might seem risky. 

“But not here,” she said. “People come here. They come in when it’s 20 degrees! It’s wild.”

Belliston chalks some of the store’s success up to the thriving vibe on Cherokee Street. Artists, fashionistas, food lovers, and musicians flock to the area; but despite that, she says, nothing is “too cool” for anyone.

“It’s the most welcoming, inviting community I have ever been a part of,” she said. “This is just the spot.”

Follow the shop on IG at @citymousestl. Store hours are Friday through Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.

Got a question, want to get involved or just want to reach out?