Growing up in Belleville, Illinois, I used to come to St. Louis to shop. When me and Shannon were dating, we’d come over and do Christmas shopping at the Nature Company, and other places in Union Station. They had a Disney Store, Banana Republic, Talbots, etc. It seemed exotic at the time as suburban kids.
It was a fantastic $150M design that was perfectly 1985, but sadly it didn’t last long.
I’m not sure how 1980’s architecture and styles will age, but that Union Station redo was a huge deal. It saved the structure for another generation and it was well executed until the fall eventually came.
There are many reasons why it didn’t last, most suburban malls have or are meeting the same demise. But in my opinion the biggest reason is there just aren’t enough people living Downtown to sustain a mall, especially when you had to pay for parking.
Years later when we moved to St. Louis we would go there in its final days when there was the Fudgery, a hat shop, gaudy/hilarious jewelry and not much more. But we ate at this place called Key West Cafe, which in a city void of good/affordable fried fish, this place filled our small town Illinois tavern souls.
Union Station was a big deal in the 1980s. It was really popular, in a perfectly 80’s way, well done…visually. I remember going to work with my dad as a kid one time (he worked Downtown) and we walked…yes, walked a couple blocks from his office to Union Station to eat O.T. Hodge’s chili on a stool looking out over pedestrians on the sidewalk on 18th Street. Walking and density is/was a foreign concept as a suburban kid, so it made a lasting impression.
Women changed out of their heels into athletic socks and Reebok shoes and walked around Downtown. I loved it, I thought I was in New York.
Union Station was an alternative to the suburban malls that me and Shannon used to work at as teens, but were starting to rebel against at the time.
It felt big city to go there when you are from small towns.
Online retail, dwindling St. Louis population and parking fees proved to be forces too hard to overcome. There were racial components as well as I discussed in my 2016 post about the shuttered Union Station 10 Cine’ (1988-2003). That cinema was recently demo’d. The 1980’s relics are disappearing.
And let’s not forget, we could’ve easily lost Union Station to the elements as it was abandoned for years. As most know, it was even used as a set for Escape From New York because it had that post-apocalyptic feel. It was just dysfunctional and scary enough in 1970s as St. Louis was emptying out at a staggering rate that it caught the attention of directors looking for a barren, abandoned landscape.
Anyhow, Union Station has been reimagined once again, this time with a $187M makeover that brings new restaurants, a 1.3M gallon aquarium, a 200-foot ferris wheel, 18-hole mini golf, indoor rope course, mirror maze and other amenities.
A place built for visitors.
Having kids, I’ve been to the outdoor area many times already to play putt putt and hang out. It is a popular place, lots of teen dates. Lots of racial mixing, lots of people who look like city folks, not just tourists. It is fantastic. Teenagers and middle schoolers need innocent, safe places to hang out, and this one struck me as just that.
It seems to be a hit.
So we decided to go check out the ferris wheel and aquarium and document our visit. Our youngest kid is aging out of this kind of thing, so it was kind of bittersweet, but made easier by all the little kids and parents and visitors thoroughly enjoying this place.
I’ll start with the wheel. Our fifteen minute ride took place in an air-conditioned gondola, much welcomed on a swampy hot July day. I’d say during our ride it was 1/3 full. We asked the teenager disinfecting the gondola as we got in if he like working here and he said it was great. He said he likes people and being outside, so for him it was perfect.
High above skyline, we observed the recently graded ground and prep work for the MLS practice facility and stadium. It was good clean fun. It was $10/person for a ~15 minute ride.
The views to the south are impressive for train enthusiasts, but I-64 and the vast surface parking lots are nothing much to look at.
Of course the views of Busch Stadium and Ballpark Village, Downtown and Downtown West are great, as well as North City views of the Falstaff stack and two standpipes.
We’ll have to go back for a night viewing as it is probably a completely unique experience. The wheel itself is taller than the Statue of Liberty and really makes quite an impact on the skyline. Good clean fun.
When you move toward the aquarium, you pass by a carousel, 18 hole mini golf course, which needs some more interest and challenges. I’m surprised they didn’t go with a train theme to make it a bit more interesting. It’s just astroturf and rocks and frankly, kind of underwhelming.
There are refreshments, beer and Clementine’s ice cream and plenty of places to relax under the train shed.
This space is beautiful and works really well for live music or other performances. There is a fire show on the water which many will like. We’ve been here at night with the bright, festive lights and space activated with street performers is a good scene.
Of course, the koi fish in the water can be fed and Landry’s is still there. It is a nice setting for sure, even though they took the remote control boats out (the old heads remember).
There are several restaurants to choose from, some with outdoor dining available. They range from sit down to more quick snacks for the kids.
There is an indoor rope course and mirror maze. Again, very well attended by all kinds of folks young and older.
The aquarium itself was worth the money and is perfect for younger kids. Jellyfish, otters, an octopus, sharks, rays, fresh water fish and much more are on display. There are interactive items for the kids. Plenty of touchable animals as well, which was a lot of fun. The “doctor fish” that eat the dead skin found on your body was a hoot. The way your hands feel after that experience is something to remember.
Due to COVID-19 precautions, many of the interactive installations are temporarily closed. And due to the well-enforced distancing, it takes awhile to make it through, but that is a small price to pay for the responsible treatment of the guests.
Good old fashioned fun, and for years I’ve heard people say we should have an aquarium. So it’s here and I bet it will be quite popular. Also, since I’ve got three teenagers, I’m always thinking of good part time jobs, and this place certainly qualifies.
I thought they have done a wonderful job in this latest reincarnation of a historic place.
The outdoor expanse will be bonkers during Blues games, and if they activate it properly, it could be an iconic meet up spot for hockey fans. It can be a great space for all seasons with the trains running Christmas rides like the Polar Express.
But most of all, it’s sweet to see a place in the heart of the city that can be a safe, fun date night spot for the teenagers and kids in the region.
