Summer is winding down, and soon the autumnal winds of September will be blowing. Those white sandy beaches will be in the rearview mirror in just the blink of an eye. It was a great summer, wasn’t it? — the Paris Olympics, the pool parties, the overseas trips, the backyard barbecues, and even the relaxing staycations. Whatever you did, it gave you a chance to charge up your batteries for a tremendous Fall 2024 season.

Preview the pages of our September/October issue and you will come to know why we are THE luxury lifestyle magazine of St. Louis.

In this issue, take a journey with Ken and Nancy Kranzberg, the Mister and Maven of the fine arts world in St. Louis. We give you a close-up look at how the behemoth Kranzberg Arts Foundation took root in the past, thrives in the present, and will continue to bear family fruit long into the future.

You will also get a look at one of St. Louis’ greatest construction companies, now also one of the nation’s best. Learn how Bob Clark took Clayco from start-up to a top US builder by embodying the company motto, “The Art and Science of Building.”

The issue also pays homage to another staple of St. Louis, Butler’s Pantry. Learn how Ricky, aka Richard Nix Jr., took over his mom and dad’s company in 1994, and turned a simple catering company into a venue business that is the talk of the town.

As always, we bring you features on the latest high-end cars, and descriptions of luxury trips so real it’s like being there and will have you booking a your next escapade there yourself.

Click here and take a peek at all the season ahead has to offer you. Do autumn in St. Louis and the world the sophisticated way.

Excerpt

The Art and Science of Building

Seeing the World Differently Bob Clark has built one of the country’s largest construction firms; Matt McFarland documents the art in that architecture.

by Craig Kaminer

"I am really interested in how things look," Clark says, reflecting on his journey from a start-up to now one of the top builders in the United States. From the outset, he was determined to transform job sites, which were often chaotic and unkept. He started by visiting the sites and having the trailers painted gray and adorned with the company logo and its earliest motto "Construction Success." His commitment went beyond mere appearances; Clark would pick up trash at night, ensuring that cleanliness was a standard. This dedication to a pristine environment once led a representative from one of Clayco’s competitors to question why Clayco would "waste clients' money on a clean job site." To Clark, the answer was simple: Quality matters. Clark’s insistence on perfection extended to every aspect of the job. "Our concrete curbs were perfect, our sidewalks flawless," he recalls. Superintendents were even instructed to rip out sidewalks if they did not meet his exacting standards. The rigorous attention to detail became a hallmark of the brand. "Expressing the quality of our work in our branding and marketing was crucial," Clark states. This ethos led to the adoption of the company motto, "The Art and Science of Building."

Excerpt

The Gift of Art

The Kranzberg Family has changed the art scene throughout the region

by Grayling Holmes

For Ken and Nancy Kranzberg, past is prologue. Both of them are well versed on the St. Louis region, and they take that knowledge into the present, and propel it into the future. The past of the Kranzberg Arts Foundation began with Nancy’s love of art. “The arts nourish the soul,” Ken Kranzberg says. “In St. Louis, art is the depth and breadth of our culture.” On that foundation, the Kranzbergs started a legacy that impacts our community and through their descendants will have lasting import well into the future.

“It all began in the late ‘70s, when Nancy and I went to the basement gallery of Carol Shapiro,” Ken recalls. “Nancy convinced me to spend $90on a painting by the late Jerry Wilkerson, a prominent St. Louis artist. I came home, and I broke out in a cold sweat because back then, $90 was a lot of money to us. This was before my bottle distributing business took off. But it was well worth it because of Nancy’s passion for art. It was the first piece that we collected.”

Excerpt

Full Life. Full Pantry. 

Butler’s Pantry President Richard Nix Jr.’s impact on St. Louis reaches far beyond his iconic catering and event company.  

by Gerald Dlubala

Richard Nix Jr. (known as Ricky) remembers playing restaurant at the age of six, a natural byproduct of growing up in a restaurant family. His father, Richard Nix Sr., and mother, Anita, founded Butler’s Pantry in 1966 to provide creative catering solutions to the St. Louis community. Nix Jr. would take over at the company’s helm in 1994, tasked with building on that dream.  

“I felt blessed,” Ricky says. "The economy was turning, people had more disposable income, and businesses used catering services more frequently. Today, catering has evolved into putting on lavish events, from first birthdays to weddings and special occasions held at estates, St. Louis landmarks, and popular tourist attractions. We started as a catering company focused on bringing food and services to an office or home, but over the last 20 years, our venue business has grown so much that we now focus on the venue as much as the food and service aspects. At last count, we can cater in about 65 unique locations, so it's definitely been a nice addition to our business."