Tag: Historic in Missouri

Ralston Fine Jewelry – Gail Ralston Carries Forward Six Decades of Jewelry Legacy  At 272 Merchant Street, the same downtown storefront that’s served Sainte Geneviève’s jewelry needs since 1958, Gail M. Ralston maintains a tradition of personalized service, expert craftsmanship, and connection to life’s milestone moments that spans three ownership periods and six decades of community trust. The building’s history tells the story: Harry “Quinton” Klaus ran the business from 1958 until Tom and Sue Steiger bought it in 1975 (Tom had started by buying “two little dogs” from Klaus for a girl he knew in school, then wound up caring for Klaus’ horses and eventually working for him after learning watch repair and jewelry work in Quincy, Illinois). The Steigers operated for 40 years—from Gerald Ford’s presidency and Bob Gibson’s final Cardinals season through the digital age—building reputation as full-service jewelers offering batteries, watches, engraving, diamonds in every size and shape, custom ring and pendant design, and diamond upgrades. When the Steigers sold in 2021, Gail Ralston assumed ownership, rebranding as Ralston Fine Jewelry while preserving the essential character that locals have relied on for generations: thoughtful jewelry selection ranging from fine pieces to costume jewelry, well-known collectible lines Read more…

252 Merchant St., Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670 Call us at 573-517-3751 Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Candles, wax melts/tarts, country crafts, primitive items, and hand-painted driftwood. All handmade! Read more…

Schultz Antiques – Where 42 Years of Family Expertise, Custom Refinishing, and Carefully Curated Collections Meet Southeast Missouri’s Most Trusted Antique Destination Some antique stores are weekend hobbyists selling grandmother’s attic contents. Others are impersonal warehouses where dealers rent booths and merchandise turns over so rapidly that no one actually knows what they’re selling. Schultz Antiques is neither. This is family-owned operation that’s served Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois for 42 years—four decades of building expertise, cultivating relationships with collectors and estate sales, developing refinishing skills that transform damaged pieces into functional furniture, and establishing reputation that makes “call Schultz” the automatic response when locals need antiques appraised, estates liquidated, or vintage furniture restored to usable condition. Located at 24534 US Highway 61 in St. Mary, Missouri (just north of Sainte Geneviève), Schultz Antiques occupies the sweet spot between serious antique dealing and accessible family business. The owners know their inventory—not just what’s in stock, but where pieces came from, what restoration work they’ve received, why particular items are priced as they are, and which customers have been asking for exactly this style of hutch or that specific type of table. The wide range of antiques, collectibles, and furniture means Read more…

49 DuBourg Place Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670 573-883-2731 Website The current, brick Ste. Geneviève Catholic Church is the third Catholic church erected on this block. As Ste. Geneviève was moved to higher ground due to flooding, the original log church was moved here in 1794. A stone structure replacing the log building was consecrated in 1837. As the congregation grew a larger church was required, and a brick building was constructed around the stone one. The stone church continued to be used until the new church was completed in 1880. Then the remaining old stones were removed out the doors. In 1911 this church was expanded again with the addition of the altar apse and the two side transepts. Come inside to admire the stain-glass windows and marble adornments! Read more…

Stella and Me – Where Award-Winning Sandwiches Meet Tearoom Charm in Sainte Geneviève’s “Little Bohemia” At 198 North Main Street, tucked into Sainte Geneviève’s art district, newly dubbed, “Little Bohemia,” a quaint café with rustic hardwood floors, local artwork on the walls, and a cozy tearoom atmosphere serves what customers describe as “sandwiches so good you forget your own name.” Stella and Me has built its reputation one carefully crafted lunch at a time, earning awards, devoted regulars, and the kind of enthusiastic reviews that make food-focused travelers detour specifically to eat here. This isn’t fast-casual chain dining or generic café fare—it’s a small, intimate space where fresh ingredients, creative combinations, and genuine hospitality create lunch experiences that visitors remember long after leaving Missouri’s oldest town. Small Space, Big Flavors, in Ste. Gen’s Premier Lunch Spot Stella and Me occupies modest square footage—the kind of intimate space where tall visitors need to watch their heads and parties larger than four or five might wait for tables. But what the café lacks in size, it compensates for emphatically in flavor, quality, and attention to detail. Those award-winning sandwiches didn’t earn recognition through volume or marketing—they won because they’re genuinely excellent. The Read more…