News
Spirit of Halloween Painting Contest
Add some Halloween spirit to Frenchtown by joining the window painting contest hosted by the Frenchtown Heritage Museum. How it Works Sign up using the registration form between September 14 and September 30 Include all team member names of those who will be contributing (teams are made up of 2-10 people) If you need a printed…
Read MoreSt. Charles Trolley Starts July 3
The St. Charles Trolley is resuming their route from July 3 to December 20, 2020! Hop on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. for a 35-minute narrated loop of St. Charles, including 11 stops along the way. Trolley rides are offered for free!
Read MoreSt. Charles Farmers Market to Open June 6
The St. Charles Farmers Market, hosted in the Foundry Art Centre lot in Frenchtown, is set to open Saturday, June 6! After the opening day, the farmers market will be open every Saturday from 7 a.m. until 12 p.m. The market features locally-grown produce, jellies, jams and more! Once open, they ask that all attendees…
Read MoreCOVID-19 Resources for Businesses
As a community, we’re thinking of all of our residents and local businesses during this challenging time. The St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce has put together a list of COVID-19 resources, including business guidance, loans, county updates and more. Access the Resource Here ›
Read MoreCommunity Update – COVID-19
The Frenchtown community hopes everyone stays safe and healthy during the COVID-19 outbreak. If you need any assistance with shopping for essential items or would like someone to check in on you daily, the Historic Frenchtown Association is willing to help. Call the Frenchtown Museum at 636-724-2106, leave a message with your name and phone…
Read MorePublic Art Company is Giving a Space for Fellow Creatives to Get Inspired
Looking for a creative place to work? Check out Public Art Company. Located at 1100 N. 2nd Street, Public Art Company is a creative agency, screen printing shop, marketplace selling local products and a destination for the community to come work. The front section of the building is open to the public to come work,…
Read MoreSams Carpet Cleaning: Serving the Community for 35 Years
Driving around the St. Louis metropolitan area you will find bright yellow vans that read “Sams” across the side. Inside the vehicles of this Frenchtown, business is trained and dedicated professionals who devote their time to creating clean spaces for the community. Local resident, Jeff Sams, started this business 35 years ago with a cleaning…
Read MoreCourse Coffee Introduces Coffee Roasting From Around the World to Frenchtown
As you step into Course Coffee, you’re greeted by the smell of freshly roasted coffee, the sound of community chatter and the sight of handpicked vintage furniture and decor. This newly-opened shop is located at 1218 N 2nd street. Course Coffee is run by the owner, Brandon Runk, his wife Sarah Runk and his cousin-in-law…
Read MoreGrass Valley Roots Opens New Coffee House in Frenchtown
Frenchtown is now home to a shop where you can grab a hot cup of coffee and a fresh pastry. Grass Valley Roots at 903 N. 2nd Street, has now expanded their vintage finds shop to include this local coffee house. Community Uplifting In May 2018, owner Laura Henry opened the doors to Grass Valley…
Read MoreCommunity Planning Workshops Lead Frenchtown Revitalization
On Thursday, Dec. 12, citizens interested in the revitalization of Frenchtown participated in a community planning workshop at Climb So iLL, a new rock climbing gym slated to open in early 2020 in Frenchtown. The workshop was hosted by a team of design consultants selected by the East-West Gateway Council of Governments. They’re providing their…
Read MoreFrenchtown Welcomes Home Interior Shop
What was once a vacant warehouse now stands as a new, modern storefront for Grateful Thread Interiors at 221 Franklin Street. Owner, Jill Ryan, decided to move her drapery, upholstery and interior design business from New Town to Frenchtown two months ago to add retail space. Wishing for Something More After studying various forms of…
Read MoreHoliday Weekend Getaway to Frenchtown
Need a holiday getaway? Frenchtown has you covered. With plenty of places to grab treats and shop, we’ve created a quick itinerary for a weekend visit to historic Frenchtown St. Charles. Day 1 | Settle In Drive out on a Friday evening to the Victorian House at 709 N. 4th Street. This bed and breakfast…
Read MoreArtist Spotlight: Laura Hohn, Building Connections Through Art and Small Business
Foundry Art Centre studio artist, Laura Hohn, was first exposed to art at a young age by her grandmother who was a painter. After visiting an art festival and seeing a potter, she begged her mom to buy her some clay to start creating pottery of her own. This was the start of finding and…
Read MoreFrenchtown is Great Streets’ Next Project – First Meeting Dec. 12
Earlier this year, the efforts to revitalize Frenchtown took a step forward when East-West Gateway Council of Governments, the metropolitan planning organization for the St. Louis region, selected Frenchtown as the location for the next Great Streets project. East-West Gateway’s Great Streets projects focus on showing communities how to expand in a way that enhances…
Read MoreArtist Spotlight: Ann Croghan, Expressing Her Faith Through Art
As Ann Croghan, a Foundry Art Centre artist paints with a full palette of colors in studios 15 and 16, she listens to gentle Christian music in the background. Starting as a child, she fell in love with colors, starting with memorizing all 120 colors of the Crayola crayon box. The idea that red-orange and…
Read MoreMosaics Fine Art Festival: Celebrating 25 Years of Sharing Art With the Community
At the end of every summer, Main Street is filled with booths of local artists offering their work to the local community to shop and explore. From Sept. 13-15, the Mosaics Fine Art Festival will be celebrating its 25 year anniversary. Where Art and Education Collide In 1992 the Mosaics Art Festival Association was established…
Read MoreLife on the Road: How Two Frenchtown Entrepreneurs Travel the U.S. in Their Home on Wheels
McNeil Motorcars and That Detail Girl at 1801 N. 2nd Street focus their businesses around more than just car servicing. They say their hearts go to the people they work for and create a friendly, open environment in their shop. Shane McNeil of McNeil Motorcars and Krista Grabenhorst of That Detail Girl are using their love…
Read MoreFoundry Art Centre Artist Spotlight: Lydia Crespo, The Importance of Art in Society
Lydia Crespo spends her days in her studio at the Foundry Art Center with her ears filled with upbeat music and surrounded by an array of color and dye splattered across her workspace. Racks are stacked high with handcrafted clothing and accessories. Shelves hold an assortment of the produce used to create natural dyes. Crespo…
Read More250 Years of St. Charles: A Look Back at History
Immerse yourself in history now through Sept. 13 at the Foundry Art Centre with the 250 Years of St. Charles Exhibition, offering a look at the rich architectural history of the area. The exhibition is free to attend during Foundry hours in Gallery III. The exhibition was chosen in recognition of the 250th celebration of…
Read MoreFoundry Art Centre Artist Spotlight: Sofi Seck, Building a STEAM School
As you approach Studio 14 of the Foundry Art Centre, you see something completely different. Colorful, woven baskets sit on display and decorative bowls line the walls. There is a divider separating a portion of the room where the artist is at work. That artist is Sofi Seck. Originally from Senegal, Africa, she specializes in…
Read MoreLife in the Fast Lane
As you enter Fast Lane Classic Cars, you’ll find neon signs lining the walls next to dozens of classic cars in rows with the light hitting them just right to see the fresh detailing work making you feel like you just traveled back in time. “You don’t have to be a classic car person to…
Read MoreFrenchtown’s Custom Shirt Destination: Awe Shirts
When you walk into Awe Shirts you’ll be greeted with the sight of friends and family sitting and working in the back of the shop while laughing and catching up. This Frenchtown shop is owned by friends Carolyn Aubuchon and Shannon Hancock. They specialize in custom T-shirts and other apparel like shorts and hoodies. The…
Read MoreKende’s Printing Survives the Flood of ‘93, Now Thrives as a Local Printer
Inside the walls of Kende’s Printing, machines are running and employees are working hard to print up to 750,000 envelopes in a single work day. This local shop has the ability to cover large and small needs for printing, numbering, folding and glueing. Owner Ken Lafser has had businesses in five different locations in the…
Read MoreFrenchtown Revitalization Task Force Visits Waterloo
The Main Street of Waterloo, Illinois is filled with small shops, unique restaurants, community events and local microbreweries. Restaurants, bars and microbreweries like Hopseller, Stubborn German, Vintage Wine Bar, Uncle John’s RRR Bar, Shorty’s Smokehouse and Bean Tree Cafe are what make the dining and nightlife stand out in this small city. Their modern decor…
Read MoreSecondhand Chic Gives Back to Pups in Need
When the first Friday of the month comes around, a line wraps around North 2nd Street in Frenchtown. Eager customers are waiting outside of Secondhand Chic Marketplace to get first pick at the month’s selection. Owner, Laura Morrison, opens the door and waits at the counter for about 20 minutes during the calm before the…
Read MoreFoundry Art Centre Artist Spotlight: Natalie Schloss, Art on the Spectrum
As you walk down the aisle of the Foundry Art Centre, you’ll discover glass windows showcasing artists at work using mediums from cloth to clay. As you walk through the doors of Studio 5, you’ll find walls and tables filled with iconic scenes from the St. Louis and St. Charles areas. It’s no surprise the…
Read MoreReceive a Free STL Cake Pop with Food Donation
Beginning Wednesday, June 19, STL Cake Pops will be collecting non perishable and unexpired food products in return for a free, original cake pop. All of the products collected will be donated straight to the Saint Louis Crisis Nursery who sent out a Facebook post on June 14 showing how empty their pantries are and…
Read MoreClimb So Ill Set to Open in the Spring of 2020 in Frenchtown
With tall ceilings and plenty of space, the old Steel Shop here in Frenchtown is the ideal spot for Climb So iLL’s newest location. The modern-style indoor rock climbing gym is set to open their new location at 650 North Main Center in suite 105 later this year. Currently, they have a location at 1419…
Read MoreWhite Traditions Bridal House Creates a Stress-Free Environment for Brides to be
White Traditions Bridal House brings family and friends of brides together down in Frenchtown for an exciting day to shop for the perfect dress. The bridal house sells a variety of on-trend wedding gowns from sizes 6 to 28 in a no-pressure environment where brides have the luxury of enjoying the dress shopping experience. The…
Read MorePlanning and Zoning Recommendations Approved by City Council
UPDATE: The St. Charles City Council unanimously passed the proposal for changes to the Code of Ordinances for the Frenchtown Historic Commercial District (FHCD) at their June 4 meeting. –––– The City of St. Charles Planning and Zoning Commission approved changes to the Code of Ordinances for the Frenchtown Historic Commercial District (FHCD) at their…
Read MoreSt. Charles 250th Celebration
St. Charles and Frenchtown celebrated the Sestercentennial Saturday, May 18, 2019. The area took a leap back in time and down memory lane through special events that highlighted the history of the area. See photos from the parade below.
Read MoreSt. Charles Trolley Operating Daily from 11 am – 8 pm
All aboard the St. Charles Trolley! Hop on and off at any of the 11 designated stops, included Frenchtown. You’ll also enjoy a complimentary narrated tour of the area. Operating Daily from 11 am – 8 pm Click here to view the new information and the new route.
Read MoreIndoor Rock Climbing Gym in St. Charles
Rock Climbing Gym Climb So iLL to open location in St. Charles The new gym will be in historic Frenchtown’s Steel Shop building and is set to open by end of summer 2019. Their next location is also on The National Register. Parallel to the river, the building sits behind the Foundry Art Centre. Source:…
Read MorePride St. Charles – First Pride Parade!
We are excited to announce the First Pride St. Charles Pride Parade! We are celebrating our 5th Anniversary and want to make it a complete celebration. Our theme is Reflections… Looking Back, Marching Forward. We want you to be a part of this HISTORY MAKING year. This is going to be an amazing celebration of community,…
Read MoreFrenchtown Audit Report – Hyett Palma
2018 Hyett Palma Study Recommendations & Suggestions We are excited to share with you the recommendations and suggestions from the Hyett Palma study in this below linked 2018 assessment. Hyett Palma is the community development agency we engaged to provide the outside counsel and best recommendations for our Frenchtown revitalization efforts. This report is an…
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