5 Reasons St. Louis is the Place to Be

The Gateway to the West, The Lou, River City. Whatever you want to call it, St. Louis is a midwestern gem that we’re proud to call home. After last night’s amazing conclusion to the Stanley Cup Finals, SwipeSum is feeling St. Louis pride, so we thought we’d list out our top five reasons why St. Louis is the place to be:

1. It’s a growing startup hub!

We’re not just saying this because we’re here. We’re saying it because St. Louis has rallied around the startup community with numerous incubators, venture funds, and startup competitions. Since moving to St. Louis in January of 2018, SwipeSum has raised over a million dollars in funding, grown from two employees to 14, and we’ve even got our own office downtown. And we’re not alone. There are so many other exciting startups here, including Clever Real Estate, Summersalt, and Balto Software. Not to mention the city and state governments offer really strong support to companies that choose to grow here.

2. We have incredible food culture.

When asked about the great culinary cities of the United States, most people probably wouldn’t consider St. Louis in the top ten. We disagree wholeheartedly. From barbecue brilliance at Pappy’s Smokehouse and Sugarfire, to authentic Italian mom-and-pop restaurants on The Hill, there’s something for every foodie in St. Louis. You’ll never go hungry here. Our recommendation? Hot fried chicken at Southern. And don’t forget to pick up an oatmeal cream pie.

3. There’s always something to do, and most of it’s free.

St. Louis boasts some of the best public attractions out there. There’s the incredible Forest Park, which contains one of the best zoos in the nation (free), a stellar art museum (also free), and the world-renowned Muny outdoor theater (you guessed it, free). And that’s all in one park! Visitors to the city can also see the awe-inspiring Gateway Arch or spend hours lost in the whacky City Museum.

4. We’ve got some of the best sports teams you’ll find anywhere.

Admittedly, this is at the front of our minds because the St. Louis Blues just won their first-ever Stanley Cup, but St. Louis sports are a passion for almost anyone who lives here. You can’t go anywhere in this city without seeing someone sporting some Cardinals or Blues apparel (or hearing Laura Branigan’s “Gloria”). And, the in-stadium experience for both of these amazing teams is second-to-none. Of course, with the city lobbying hard to win the next Major League Soccer franchise, the fervor of the fans in this city will only grow as time goes on.

5. We have amazing people.

As great as the city itself is, St. Louis would be nothing without its people. What can we say? We’ve got midwestern charm. Those who visit the city are always pleasantly surprised by how kind and welcoming the people are here. They certainly welcomed us with open arms when we made the move, and we are so glad they did. We love St. Louis, and we’re proud to call it our home. St. Louis is it, baby!