Meet St. Louis Meet St. Louis

The slogan at McArthur's Bakery is great mission, even better food. The bakery has been a St. Louis staple since the 1950s, but it almost ceased to exist. That's where Scott Rinaberger came in. He calls himself a serial entrepreneur, and he saw an opportunity when the beloved bakery went up for sale. To ensure its survival, changes has to be made. The historic nature of the business didn't work in today's climate. Now there are two locations, one in South County and a sister spot called Pioneer Bakery in Kirkwood. It's a mission-based business concept where they employ workers with intellectual disabilities. The same mission led to the creation of Smiley Face Cookie Company and a new endeavor and expansion you’ll hear more about in this episode. Scott joined us to talk about the path he took to get him here and how the ingredient to success isn't always obvious.

The Scarato brothers own Anthonino’s Taverna on The Hill. It combines both their heritages: Greek and Italian, and even after 20 years in business, they're still the new guys on the block when it comes to this historic neighborhood. But they’ve made their stamp on St. Louis and beyond... in part thanks to Guy Fieri; His episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives still brings people from across the country and the world to their corner restaurant. The toasted raviolis may be what gets people in the door, but these brothers say there’s a lot more to keep customers coming back.

Tis the season for shopping, and this podcast is always about shopping local. Whether it's on Small Business Saturday or any day of the year, your effort to purchase from a local business can make all the difference. That’s the message John and Kelley Barr share on this week’s episode. The couple has slowly been renovating and revitalizing the Old Orchard neighborhood in Webster Groves. They own Frisco Barroom, Civil Alchemy and The Annex, plus a brand new ice cream shop. Their vision has always been to create a main street like feel for the community. From a coffee shop to the neighborhood tavern to a general store where you can find functional but beautiful things, each spot helps further their vision.

The holidays are here, and you don’t have to do it alone. This week, we headed to Webster Groves to talk to Ann Marie Lemke and her daughter Kate at the Art of Entertaining. Ann started the company almost thirty years ago when she noticed a missing need in St. Louis: a place to buy prepared meals for friends who had a baby or for a sick relative. And decades later, while there’s a lot more options and basically everyone has carryout, the family business is booming. And the holidays are the busiest time of the year. Two generations are helping St. Louis families make dinner just a little easier and we’re hearing how they do it.

Bella Milano opened its doors 20 years ago in Edwardsville with family at the heart of the Italian restaurant. Two families joined together to fill a void in their community for a restaurant where anyone would feel welcome. 20 years later and two more locations, they’re still going strong, even as the food scene in the Metro East has expanded more than ever. We sat down with Craig Kalogerou and Tom Guarino to talk history, food and family. Tom’s dad Sam was the original owner along with Craig but he sadly passed away in 2020. But his memory and his legacy carry on at Bella Milano and the lessons he passed down, known fondly as Sam-isms, help ensure the family business will carry on for another 20 years.

Earlier this year, we went to St. Charles and sat down with the owners of Grandma's Cookies. Now we're revisiting this listener favorite.