The Porch

Maybe «quirky» is the right word. Possibly «eclectic» fits as well. Whatever label you want to hang on this place the fact remains that it is a small neighborhood store selling unusual things that you probably can’t find just anywhere. Their assortment runs the gamut from clothing to jewelry to things for the kitchen to knick-​knacks, also known as «dust collectors» in our house.
I can’t write too much because I don’t want to tip my hand but my wife’s birthday present from kid 1 came from here and big shout-​out to Steven B for helping her make the selection.

The Porch is a wonderful shop in Soulard offering unique gifts, clothing, and home accessories. This is my «go to» place when I need the perfect gift … there is something for everyone. But The Porch doesn’t just sell gifts, it is also a wine store. They offer many unusual wines that you cannot find at other stores in St. Louis, and most are affordably priced at $ 25 or under. The owner, Cathy, and her husband, Keith, are very knowledgeable about the wines and can make a recommendation. You can even purchase a bottle and, for a very small corkage fee, enjoy it on the beautiful patio behind the shop. But the best thing about The Porch is the owner, Cathy, and her friendly and welcoming attitude. The Porch is not just a shop, it’s a neighborhood gathering place. Visitors are encouraged to have a glass of wine (they regularly have free tastings on the weekends) or a beer while they browse around the shop. Cathy is eager to help find the perfect gift or bottle of wine. And she is very familiar with the Soulard, Lafayette Square, and Benton Park neighborhoods and can make suggestions about restaurants and things to do in the area. When I go to The Porch, I usually end up staying awhile because of the interesting and friendly people that Cathy attracts to her store. If you haven’t been to the The Porch, you are missing out on one of the best shopping experiences in St. Louis!

Super Rude Service. The lady in there followed my wife around like the liquor store owners in don’t be a menace. Should have been a sign to leave then. But we stayed…
They, when we attempted to purchase some wine to enjoy there, they said there would be a corkage fee in addition to purchasing the wine… Last I checked, a corkage fee when you bring in wine from outside.
No thank you, I’m sorry, your cha cha’s ain’t cute, and your attitudes are ugly. See ya!

One of St. Louis’s most unique gift shops. We had dinner in Soulard and went in the Porch just to see what they had. What a find. They had a great selection of high quality merchandise. Most of which we’ve never seen. Owner was great, She showed us around and filled us in on the artists who supply her store. We got several Christmas gifts for the people on our list who are hardest to find gifts for. We’ll be back.

After visiting the Soulard Farmer’s Market on a Saturday morning with a friend, we stopped in The Porch because my friend had never been there and I knew she would love it. Sure enough, she did!
With all the unique gifts and items for sale here, it is a great place to find something for your house or a perfect accessory. We both walked out buying something for ourselves — we deserved it She got an adorable, handmade clutch purse with a chevron pattern. I may have to borrow it from her because it was that cute! I purchased a home decoration that spells out my last name and fits perfectly on an empty shelve at my house.
Prices are in line and what you would expect for a boutique but the feeling of supporting a local business makes up for the prices. The people there are very nice and even offer wine samples at the store — Score!
One piece of advice, you may not want to bring your male significant other here. When I was there I overheard a girl ask her significant other «Is this your worst nightmare?» he responded, «Yeah, pretty much.» I couldn’t help but laugh at that. Lesson here — if you are in Soulard with girlfriends looking for some unique items to dress up your wardrobe or home, be sure to stop at The Porch.

This business is a life-​saver for fellow bachelors whenever an occasion calls for something more than the usual gift of alcohol. Cathy and her staff do a great job of asking questions to determine what you’re looking for (they inevitably know better than I do), and offering choices so you still walk away feeling like it was your idea to buy the gift. A real treasure in Soulard.

The Porch is a great addition to Soulard, and it makes a great stop after visiting the Soulard Farmers Market. If you are looking for a unique gift, this is the place to find it anything from wine, to unique cards, to St. Louis themed items like the Fleur de Lis. You shouldn’t have any problem finding a gift here for any one in your life, and odds are you will probably find something unique for yourself.
This is a locally owned business, and the staff is friendly so pay them a visit and support our local businesses.

The Porch is my go to shop when I need a unique gift or just a gift in general. One you walk into the store you will be greeted by Cathy and/​or any of the wonderful sales associates. Most times (if you time it correctly) you can even participate in some wine sampling as they do have these often. I know I have gone a few times and when I walk in I am immediately given a small ample of wine! I like this!
The store itself carries wine, handbags (Vera Bradley), jewelry, wine glasses/​beer mugs/​etc, cards, plates, coozies, etc. I am sure you can find something here you like. They also offer sales on items often and if you follow them on Facebook/​Twitter you can often times see when they are having sales! This is a great way to know when to shop.
Oh, and the best part? If you purchase something for a gift they will wrap it up and add ribbon for you! How great is that? I recommend going and buying a bottle of wine for a gift just so you can watch how they do it. So classy!
Overall, this is my favorite local spot in Soulard for gifts and I recommend you check it out!

If you have taken the Unilocal pledge to Shop Local this holiday season this is a store you must visit. The majority of the people on my gift list are one of two things. They are either female or big entertainers and this store has it all for both.
I was able to mark 4 off my «nice» list shopping here. They have a small, but good selection of wine that offered a good starting point to create goodie gift bags. In addition they have unique holiday serving dishes that were perfect host/​hostess gifts for those who are always entertaining friends and family. The cocktail napkins had me laughing out loud and I found many that fit the personality of a couple «naughty» list friends.
We live in STL, so Fleur de Lis themed gifts are always good and you’ll find plenty of them here. I keep saying, if I ever get a tattoo it would be a Fleur de Lis. Now I just need to decide where to put it.
Vera Bradley is a big thing for some ladies and TP has a small but impressive variety. If you have someone on your list who is a VB fan, I’d recommend buying it here to support a local business. Shopping local will keep you out of the mall.
Cathy the owner was working the day we were shopping and she was witty, charming and made our shopping experience fun. She was full of ideas and we found ourselves still visiting after we had completed our purchase.
I’m glad I shopped local here and when I need gifts in the future, The Porch will be one of my first stops.

Wine, gifts and accessories galore! This gift shop is truly one-​of-​a-​kind and is a place worth visiting if you’re around Soulard.
The wine selection is pretty big and they keep their bottles on the affordable side (I believe most of them are around or under $ 25.) If you walk around the rest of the shop, you’re going to find a ton of things that you’ll want to pick up for you or someone else. Plates, wine glasses, accessories, hats, etc. While Vera Bradley isn’t my thing, they do offer some cute selections. They have a lot of Fleur de Lis engraved items, and you can really just grab a bunch of different things to make a gift basket. It’s really a one-​stop shop.
If you’re trying to shop local for the holidays, this is a good place to start!

my review is based on the rude attitude I experienced by the owner — -I have been in here twice. The first time I enjoyed the shop it was approximately 6 months ago when I was visiting St. Louis — I actually moved here and went to take my out of town guest here to shop and asked the owner about wine and found her to be cold and unfriendly. This shop carried the merchandise I really like however I will not step foot inside the place again —I don’t deserve to be treated like that I respect myself too much… it is a shame too because I love everything else about Soulard…

I had a meetup here over a year ago, wine tasting with a chef it was great!
I also live in Soulard and I drop in often, it has a great wine selection, great assortment of gifts for us ladies. Guys, not sure what to get her, check this place out!

It’s a great stop after shopping at the Soulard’s Farmers Market. It’s really a girly kind of store. It has a bunch of stuff that would be best used for presents. I like the randomness of the gifts, and there seems like there is something for everyone. The staff is unobtrusive and just lets you browse. I took a star off because it was more on the expensive side… but in the end, my girls are worth it!

I really like The Porch! Sure it has cutesy gifts, cards, jewelry, and gadgets. And, they sell wine and lots of it, but what I like about this adorable little shoppe that is wedged between Soulard Market and Llewellyn’s/Carsons is the wine garden!
It’s a hub for locals and a place to hang out on a Saturday afternoon after shopping at Soulard Market. They have a regular musician, Lots of wine (and other cocktails), and a FUN, friendly atmosphere. Fortunately, they kick you out at 5PM. Otherwise… it could get ugly ;-)
I held a potluck there on a Sunday. Worked out great and I didn’t have to clean the mess (psst, no rental fee).

Cathy has the greatest little gift shop located right across the street from the famous Soulard Market.
There are plenty of gift ideas for even the most difficult person on your list, and don’t forget to treat yourself as well!
In the back, there is a really nice patio where you sit back and unwind and share a glass of wine with some friends. Plenty of wines in stock and Cathy is very knowledgeable about the many different varieties.
We have purchased a variety of items here at the Porch… wine, gifts, jewelry, ball hats, and even a candlelier! It’s one of our favorite stops in the Soulard area.

The Porch is just a stone’s throw from the Soulard Farmers Market and offers a nice selection of wine, beer and cheese in addition to a ton of other cutesy stuff. We walked out with a BBQing Life Is Good t-​shirt for Justin, a green tea scented diffuser, some Monopoly game-​piece wine glass tags and a relish tray shaped like a grasshopper. This is a great stop for random gifts – they have silly cards, home decorations, stuff for babies, jewelry – all sorts of things that you probably don’t need (I mean, come on – a grasshopper relish tray?!) but just might want… Of course you might need the wine and cheese is always a nice accompaniment. ;)
From what I understand, The Porch is completing work on their Wine Garden, so you can shop a bit and then relax with a glass of wine right there. The owner is super friendly and the space is really quite cool. I’ve noticed quite a few shops like this in the St. Louis area, but as far as I know, only The Porch lets you get your drink on while shopping!