Walking down either side of Delmar, you’ll be standing on the
stars of St. Louis, memorialized on St. Louis’ Walk of Fame. Famous
St. Louis natives like Yogi Berra, Chuck Berry, Miles Davis, John
Goodman, T. S. Eliot and Tennessee Williams have all made an
impression on the area on on Delmar’s sidewalks.

Taking your eyes off the sidewalk at certain points could lead
you to several unique destinations. Just about every store or
restaurant along the Delmar Strip has a native’s star as its
welcoming mat. The stars might lead you to one of the area’s music
stores or movie theaters, or deposit you at the front door of a
restaurant.

No matter what your preference in music is, the Loop can satisfy
your needs. If you’re looking for the run-of-the-mill trendy sounds
that capture our airwaves, Streetside Records (6314 Delmar,
726-6277) might have just what you need.

If your desires wander to the harder-to-find records, Vintage
Vinyl (6610 Delmar 721-4096) will hypnotize you for hours at a
time. Offering a dizzying array of indie rock, vinyl, imports and
bootlegs in the area, Vintage Vinyl probably has exactly what
you’re looking for.

The Loop is also known for its live music scene. Offering a wide
array of venues and musical styles, the Loop has remained a
springboard for area musicians.

The Pageant (6161 Delmar Blvd 726-6161) has become the
hot stop for major artists on tour. Shows start at 8 p.m., and the
venue will soon host Pete Yorn, Grandaddy and Saves the Day.

Cicero’s (6691 Delmar, 862-0009) hosts local and national
bands on its bill practically every nights. Most shows allow
minors. The Red Sea (6511 Delmar, 863-0099)–catering
strictly to a drinking crowd–has a variety of reggae, funk and
Grateful Dead cover bands. Blueberry Hill (6504 Delmar, 727-0880),
which only allows 21-and-up crowds for its shows, has acts on
weekends in the Duck Room and the Elvis Room. Check their live band
schedule and head down to the Hill when Chuck Berry plays.

Brandt’s (6525 Delmar, 727-3663) offers outdoor
coffee-shop rock with no pesky age restrictions.

But if music isn’t your thing, there is no need to fear. The
Loop has a multitude of clothing outlets to help you fit into the
scene you desire. Avalon (6394 Delmar, 725-6694) carries the
finest selection of trendy clothing and footwear in the area. Or,
are you captured in a retro flashback? Then Hip Threads
(6254 Delmar, 725-8188) is your store. The store carries a decent
selection of vintage clothing at reasonable prices. Ziezo
(6354 Delmar, 725-9602) caters to the more mature (or wealthier!)
class of students who still dig the trendy thing, but are going for
a classy look.

If you don’t have enough clothing covered with dancing bears,
head on down to Sunshine Daydream (Delmar 727-9043) and pick
up the latest in hippie ware.

If you’re the type of person who despises the hippie scene,
Altered Skates (6368 Delmar, 726-1370) might be the perfect
place to pick up some Airwalks and Alien Workshop gear to match
your chain-link wallet. If nothing above has raised your eyebrows
yet, you might be interested in the potpourri of restaurants the
Loop has to offer.

Plowsharing Crafts (6271 Delmar Blvd 863-3723) is an
electic store filled with crafts and artifacts such as clothing,
jewelry, housewares and baskets from all over the world. All of the
wares sold at the store was made by native artisans from
poverty-stricken countries and the proceeds from the sales go
directly back to the artisians. All of the employees who work at
the store are volunteers, and the store receives tax benefits in
order to give the highest percetage of money back to the
artisian.

Fitz’s (6605 Delmar, 726-9555) brews their own tasty root
beer and flavored sodas and serves up some good eats to go along
with that. Fitz’s also has some of the best shakes in the area.

Of course, in addition to music stores, clubs and restaurants,
the Loop offers many other specialty shops, including used book
stores. Subterranean Books (6275 Delmar, 862-6100) offers a
wide variety of new and used books for any subject, ranging from
Etan Frome to books on witchcraft and scorcery.

Feeling like surprising the family when you head back home? Then
head on down to Iron Age (6309 Delmar, 725-1499), the Loop’s
home for tattoos, body piercings, studs and other body
modifications. And last but not least, the Tivoli (6350
Delmar Blvd, 862-1100) is probably the most recognizable building
in the Loop. The movie theater shows mostly independent films and
some classics. It’s a great place to catch a flick. Try to catch
one of their midnight showings of classic movies.