This shop was one of my favorite stops on Cherokee Street. I got the feeling that a lot of the things I admired were not for sale because they didn't have prices on them, but it was great to just walk through and see things. It was like walking through an awesome quirky museum of americana, but keep in mind that I love old signs. Definitely check out the outdoor area, which has a neat little bridge and is filled with trinkets, statues and cool signs, including a few hotel/motel signs. Yeah, I would live there. read more

All along the Historic Cherokee district is a variety of antique shops, all of which have their own niche. The Purple Cow is my favorite because there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of rhyme or reason for what's in the shop, but the randomness makes sense once you're in there! A few of the Purple Cow's specialties include: - A huge collection of vintage postcards, kept in old library card catalog drawers. I love to sift through them and see what vacation spots used to look like. And it's fun to read the used ones...see what kinds of messages people used to send to loved ones back in the day. - Antique hardware. If you're in the market for hooks, pulls or doorknobs, this might be the place for you. They usually don't come in sets, so if you like an eclectic aesthetic, that's a perfect place to purchase items for your house. - Signs. There's a huge, neon parrot sign that I inquired about. It's not for sale, but most of the signs are. There's old street signs, signs advertising products and a random arrow that directs people to the restroom. - There's also a large bookshelf of sports memorabilia near the register. Personally, sports anything doesn't pique my interest. But my boyfriend, who's an avid baseball card collector, said that the collection was pretty interesting. On my first visit, I purchased a framed "paint by numbers" of a ship at sea for our new apartment. It cost $5 and hangs on the wall next to a framed President Garfield on our entry room wall. If that gives you any indication of what kinds of antiques I'm into, then you'll understand why I love the Purple Cow. read more

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You know, I shouldn't review this place because I'd generally rather die than go antiquing. Just the word 'antiquing' gives me hives. But I went with the BF and his Mom to Cherokee Street one day and was pretty impressed with what The Purple Cow had to offer. These antiques looked well-curated and were really interesting. I thought a couple of times that I would like to buy something from this place. That's no small feat for me. There are a few sections to this store, and it's worth weaseling and squeezing your way through all of them to see what's going on--stone lawn gizmos, the chopped off fender of an old car, Christmas lights, architectural odds & ends, tchotchkes...all kinds of stuff. Colorful, generally fun, and 'neat' in the best sense of the word. read more

The Purple Cow - Antiques Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Great, colorful shop filled with a little bit of everything. I also love the use of the various colored glass in the back and the very cool looking back yard-my version of Alice In Wonderland, tumbling down the rabbit hole. The signs, as referenced in other reviews, are awesome. There is interesting art work interspersed throughout and some nifty architectural scrap stuff--cool tiles, rosettes, iron fences and other cool exterior art stuff. The owner was equally nice and laid back. Lots of neat stuff referencing early St. Louis, for a historian like me, just heavenly! read more

Cherokee is the best place to wander around! The Purple Cow is a great place to wander around and look at random gatherings of antiques and stuff. read more

The Purple Cow - Antiques Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Never did ask why it's called the purple cow, but the shop is a very large mix of antiques, home decor, home fixtures, books, Ephemera, etc. Prices are a bit much those. You pretty much have to dig around in most of the areas to see everything. read more

The Purple Cow - Antiques Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

There is stuff all over and plenty to browse through. A word to the wise though...Make sure you know what you are looking for or you will get lost in all the great things here and there. read more

I love antique shopping but never really have anything particular in mind, so I don't end up leaving w/ anything. This is the perfect store to fit that bill. Situated in the midst of the Historic Cherokee antique row, The Purple Cow is a great little shop with no real specific specialty, just a lot of different cool stuff. There are tons and tons of postcards and vintage magazines to browse through. I bought a "Chicago" magazine from the 60's, where the ads were all for buildings that are now well beyond famous. The cover price was $1 then, and I paid $1 in 2010. There are a lot of art-deco-ish type fixtures. There's a cool wall of antique printing blocks, the blocks are for sale in the back. There are tons of odd sculptures and wrought iron works. There's a wall of antique insulators. And of course a good assortment of door knobs and other related hardware. Out back there's an entire airstream trailer full of stuff, with a yard littered with random cool stuff (closed off in the winter though). The guy running the shop was great to talk to (John I think??). I thought the prices were quite reasonable.. read more

Stopped in to help a friend find a StL souvenier the other day, and was impressed by the interesting collection of items in the store. Found their prices on some things to be rather expensive, but I'm not an antiquer so I don't really know if this is accurate on a broad scheme. Definitely worth a looksee if you're popping into other stores on Cherokee, or just looking for something interesting to give your living arrangement a little more character. read more

Of all the antique shops I've visited recently (& there have been a LOT), this would be the first one I'd re-visit. The owner is extremely knowledgeable about his goods AND about other area antique dealers. He pointed me in some helpful directions for a particular piece I was hunting for. The Purple Cow has a funky vibe and many one-of-a-kind pieces. The shopkeepers are also very inviting and friendly. The prices seem slightly higher than some other St. Louis antique shops though I overheard the owner and a shopkeeper debating the price of one particular piece and doing their research on how much similar items were selling for so I know they probably stand by their pricing. read more

The inventory is good, but it's definitely not great that the store doesn't take credit cards. The fees may cost something, but it makes people more likely to spend money. The proprietor was also rude as I debated whether or not to use a $10 bill in my wallet (laughed at me, in fact). No point in calling him out, as I'm sure he wouldn't have cared. Other places on Cherokee have more friendly people with inventory as good. read more