Welcome to The Grove

Welcome to the art, the energy, the unapologetic pride of St. Louis.

Our mission is to cultivate a supportive and welcoming space for our community, business owners, artists, and the city of St. Louis. This vibrant, centrally located district stretches nearly a mile along Manchester Avenue between Kingshighway and Vandeventer. Today, our neighborhood is home to more than 53 businesses offering great places to eat and drink, play and stay, as The Grove continues to grow and build upon its identity as the main cultural district in St. Louis. 

What began as a vision became a movement: a neighborhood, built by dreamers, doers, and believers in something different. Since then, The Grove has become a place where people come to dine, shop, and play. Our neighborhood has always been more than its bars and restaurants. It is a community where people can see themselves, feel welcomed, and know they belong.

Since the 1950s, The Grove has been a buzzing neighborhood that brings together local life and creates space for all. Once known as Adam’s Grove, the neighborhood served as a welcoming commercial district for the entire city. Over time, the strip declined, but what followed was a powerful reimagining, led in many ways by the LGBTQ+ community.

In the 1980s, The Grove became a safe haven for the LGBTQIA+ community through leaders like Grandma, also known as Tim Craddock, who created Grandma’s Rainbow End as a place to gather, support one another, and feel seen. These community members and many others were instrumental in activating The Grove and played a core role in developing Manchester Avenue into what it is today.

The Grove Community Improvement District (CID) was organized under Missouri legislation in 2009. This initiative was built on the foundation of supporting the businesses, beautifying the neighborhood, and, most importantly, improving safety for its visitors and businesses. With the support of community leaders, The Grove has become a place for diversity, connection, and culture. As we continue to grow, our goal is to create more space for people to gather, explore, and see themselves here.

We are art. We are history. We are a community

Home page image by Irena Hulse
Neighborhood image by Christopher Taber