The District of St. Louis: A Work in Progress in Chesterfield

There are a number of outdoor shopping districts in the St. Louis area. Our favorite is Historic Main Street St. Charles, but you also have spots like the Delmar Loop, Old Town Florissant, and Downtown Kirkwood.

We’re always on the lookout for other places in the area to walk and shop. One less-known one is the District of St. Louis at Chesterfield, which opened in 2018. Just down the road from the similarly designed St. Louis Premium Outlets, this shopping space is an interesting project in outdoor shopping and entertainment.

Getting There

The District of St. Louis (Google Maps link) sits just off I-64 at Boone’s Crossing in Chesterfield. It’s a cinch to get there, as once you get off Boone’s Crossing and head north you make a right on the outer road that runs right past the shopping area.

Parking

There is considerable parking on the west, south, and east sides of the property. In addition, the parking on the west side of the District also doubles as parking for River’s Edge Park, which is maintained by the city of Chesterfield.

All the parking here is typically free. However, during one of our visits here some of the parking was cordoned off as paid parking for an evening event, so that may happen from time to time.

Costs and Considerations

There is no cost to visit this shopping center. Of course, it’s a shopping center, which means if you want to spend money, there are places to do it.

According to Google Maps, the District is open from 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. seven days a week. We dropped in a little before 11 a.m. and were able to walk the pathways. Keep in mind that businesses in the space may keep their own hours.

Things to Do

Activities at the District include:

• The Hub. Located in the center of the District, the Hub features various tables, benches, and other assorted seating in orbit around a stage. A large TV sits atop that stage, which we found often shows major sporting events.

• Food. As of 2025, there are three eateries in the District: Steve’s Hot Dogs, Hi-Pointe Drive-In (which is not a drive-in at the District), and Napoli Bros. Pizza and Pasta. This is a relatively recent development, as Hi-Pointe opened in 2023 and Steve’s and Napoli Bros. both opened in 2024. Another restaurant, Oaxaca Margarita Bar and Grill out of Edwardsville, Illinois, is also headed to the District. The restaurants give you the option to eat indoors or outdoors; if you choose outdoors and find a spot in the Hub, they’ll give you a number to display at your table and bring your food out to you.
• Drink. There are several alcoholic establishments around the Hub. One of them, 4 Hands Brewing Company, shares an indoor space with Hi-Pointe Drive-In.
• Shopping and Services. There are a handful of shopping establishments around the District, including It’s Sugar, a candy store northeast of the Hub. We also saw a few services, including an indoor pickleball court, a martial arts studio, and a game show battle room. Main Event, located on the east side of the District, is a standalone building offering video games, bowling, a ropes course, and billiards. East of Main Event is House of Pain Gym, which is exactly what you think it is.

• Venues. Two of them can be found on the west side of the area. One is The Reverie, an event venue for things like weddings. The other is The Factory, an indoor spot for live music and other events.

• River’s Edge Park. Located on the west end of the property past The Factory, River’s Edge is a gravel-trail park that cuts over a bikeable levee and into the woods. Pathways run near the Missouri River and cut around an interior lake. There are spots for walking and fishing. There are also vault toilets in the park.

Our Thoughts

We visited the District twice: once on a sleepy Saturday morning and once on a Sunday evening. On Saturday morning, it was predictably quiet, with just a handful of other people out and about, although things did pick up a little as the morning went on.

On Sunday evening, with NFL football on, the Hub was busy — although not overcrowded — with singles, couples, and even families sitting, playing, eating, and drinking on the space. We took in a nice dinner of Steve’s and Hi-Pointe, and while there was a lot of open sun, we had a festive time.

It’s clear, though, that The District is still a work in progress. Some 50% of the retail spaces were vacant as of mid-2025. If you’re looking for a lot of places to shop, there isn’t a whole lot of that going on here. It’s our opinion that The District isn’t quite ready for prime time just yet.

However, we like the potential of this space. The Hub is a neat place to eat outdoors and catch some entertainment, and the walkways offer a cool vibe. Access to the quiet River’s Edge Park just north of The District is another plus.

For that reason, we’ll be watching the progress of this promising location in the years to come.