By Sarah B. Smith
What started as a personal job creation journey has turned into a charming destination for those seeking the comforts of good food, utilitarian house and hard wares, and a friendly, old-fashioned general store ambiance. Winslow’s Home in University City—part commercial kitchen, part market, and part general store—is the creation of Ann Sheehan Lipton, and her husband Randy Lipton.
When Ann Lipton was contemplating a return to the working world after several years as an active stay-at-home Mom and community volunteer, she was looking for an opportunity that would combine her architectural, design and artistic sensibilities with her interest in mixed-use development. She and Randy looked for development opportunities all over the City with no specific plans in mind. However, when they came across an historic building on Delmar Boulevard, which was built in 1924, and learned of its roots as a neighborhood market and general store, they both thought they had found the right opportunity. Ann began her research into what a contemporary version of a general store and market could be. “I brought to it a different angle. I’m not a retailer. I’m not a restaurateur, I’ve never been a grocer, but I asked myself, what do we need as a family, what do I need as an individual, and I sort of allowed us to be fairly representative of what was needed in the neighborhood,” says Lipton, who lives only a mile from Winslow’s.
Why the name Winslow’s? “When I was a kid, art always spoke to me. It was the one thing that always got my attention,” says Lipton. “Winslow Homer (19th century artist) was one of my earliest memories. When this came about, it is that historical connection and trying to put a face on the time when a general store would have served its community and provided the old, the young, the sewers, the bakers with essential goods—and a little bit of folly. It was that connection that allowed me to come up with a name and a visual to go back to. It’s a reference point for me.”
With these origins, Lipton has assembled an eclectic mix of utilitarian, design-oriented products. From bird feeders and books, to dish towels made from vintage fabrics, to hand selected toys, Winslow’s offers a variety of environmentally-friendly and fun items. “I like receiving useful things,” says Lipton and she has indeed shaped Winslow’s Home around that ethic.
For the budget-minded wine enthusiast, Winslow’s offers a diverse and distinctive “wine room” with offerings under $30.
Winslow’s kitchen brings that same straightforward and practical approach to its culinary offerings. Using many of the ingredients grown on the couples’ farm in Augusta, Mo., or from other local producers, Winslow’s chefs create meals, which they hope will “simultaneously nourish and give pleasure.” My recent visits for brunch and supper affirm that they are meeting their goals on both fronts.
Winslow’s menu constantly changes, with selections posted on the chalkboards
as well as on their stunning web site www.winslowshome.com. With café tables scattered through out the store and others on their outdoor canopy-covered patio, customers can enjoy their selections nestled amongst Winslow’s ambiance, or take items to go.
For brunch, I had a mozzarella and ham omelet, along with a fruit and yogurt
parfait. A wide variety of tempting home-baked pastries—such as scones, coffee cakes and muffins—cover the counter and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee completes the ambiance.
Lunch often includes a selection of paninis—such as turkey and shaved fennel or grilled eggplant with roasted pepper and feta—tartines (open faced sandwiches), salads (featuring their heirloom tomatoes) and
frequently changing soups, such as the delightful butternut squash, which I found perfect for a fall afternoon.
Winslow’s Home offers three or four entrees every evening, each reasonably priced in the $10 range. Recent selections included bison stew, torta rustica
and home-made pasta with tomato sauce. In addition to their daily menu items, which are available for carryout, Winslow’s offers soups, salads, and special selections,
such as chicken pot pies, in their
refrigerated cases and a bevy of freshly baked desserts.
Winslow Homer would feel right at home.
TalkingPOINTS
Winslow’s Home
7213 Delmar
St. Louis, MO 63130
(314) 725-7559
www.winslowshome.com
hours:
Tuesday-Friday: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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