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Grocery Stores

Leah T., M1

Living in the Central West End near campus, I’ve found that I have lots of options for grocery shopping. I do my regular shopping at Schnucks, which is just a few minutes’ drive from campus, and I always find everything I need there! Another staple grocery store in St. Louis is ALDI, but keep in mind that you need to bring a quarter for the cart and your own bags. There is a Trader Joe’s a bit farther from campus (about a 12-minute drive) for any Trader Joe’s lovers. There is also a Whole Foods within walking distant from campus.

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International Groceries

John H., M1

As an Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) dude, whenever I’m running low on staples like kimchi, dried seaweed, soju, or MSG, I often make a sneaky carpool trip with some classmates to Olive Supermarket, a large Asian grocery store that’s 15 minutes away from CWE. One of my favorite “activities” there is to get decision paralysis over the myriad of sauces to buy — laoganma, fish sauces, soy sauces, plum sauce, sambal oelek, gochujang, doenjang/miso paste, and much more.

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Left Bank Books

Andrea O., M1

Left Bank Books is a gem of a bookstore that sits on the corner of Euclid and McPherson in the Central West End. It’s the oldest independent bookstore in Saint Louis and always feels cozy and welcoming when you step in the door. In addition to all their new books, the entire lower floor (down the stairs when you walk in) is a really cool and strange collection of used books. Some of them are “blind dates with a book” — the book is wrapped in paper with a few sentence summary on it, so you have very little idea what you’re getting yourself into when you buy it. It’s a great way to dive into something you might not otherwise read. They also have their own monthly book club, events with authors, and community outreach programs to support their mission of “literacy and justice for all”. Perhaps best of all, Left Bank Books is right next to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams … do with that information what you will.

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Shopping Malls and Boutiques

Alice J., M1

The shopping scene in St. Louis POPS OFF. There is a great mall (Galleria) and other large stores like Nordstrom Rack just a 10-minute drive or a MetroLink ride away from campus. There is a ton of good thrift shopping, like at multiple Goodwills and Savers, as well as a Salvation Army close to campus. The Salvation Army and Goodwill Outlet are both within a 20-minute walk from campus. Lastly, there are frequently great pop-up markets that have good selections of vintage or small business clothings and other great finds.