Meet Me In St. Louie
I love when the world feels like a small place. Sure, sure, it’s great to be reminded of just how big and exciting the world is; there’s no denying that.
But it’s human connections that make it feel small and cozy.
Take, for instance, a tiny hole in the wall art store in St. Louis. We like to frequent it whenever we’re in the city, but it’s a bit of a funny place to make such a fuss over. It’s slightly larger than the Criterion Closet, but not by much. It’s got quality art supplies, friendly staff, and a precious shop cat named Malcolm who will literally just crawl into your arms whether you want him to or not (of course we want it; we’re not monsters).
Those qualities just lend a feeling of worth to the whole endeavor; in short, it’s one of those businesses you want to support. In some way, you feel better for having given them your dollars instead of some huge and terrible and faceless corporation.
None of these is what makes the world feel so small when it comes to the store. It’s the times in recent weeks that I’ve seen it referenced by people not from St. Louis. Or even Missouri.
First it appeared in an edition of The Browser, quite simply one of the best newsletters/websites out there.
Carson Monetti
The story is years old at this point, but it’s timeless.
Then it cropped up in Austin Kleon’s recent newsletters (another one of the best things on the internet) for an item I saw as I checked out from there a few weeks ago: wooden cigarettes to “smoke” in aid of your creative process.
Austin Kleon
They’re just small head nods to this charming little store that’s reaching wider than its tiny shop, but it makes me feel slightly closer to these people and creators that I view as digital “friends” first and foremost. And I really like that feeling.
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