Smoke House Market and Annie Gunn’s are landmarks in the Chesterfield Valley, Chesterfield, Missouri. Rich in history, the Smoke House originally opened in 1937 as the Chesterfield Mercantile Company. For over 68 years, the market has offered a wide variety of meats, cheeses, condiments and organic produce. Stepping across the threshold of well worn wood floors, one feels as if they have taken a step back in time. A pig greets you at the door. Just the glorious smells upon entry are enough to bring you back time and time again.
The narrow aisles are filled with shelves just loaded with specialty items not found anywhere else in the St. Louis area. You can find imported cheeses and candy, unique food gifts as well as specialty beverages. The full service gourmet meat market offers hand cut meats, seafood and one of their specialties – their jumbo smoked shrimp. What a feast!
We also enjoy the extensive deli section where we often purchase the turkey salad – some of the best we have ever had. Patrons line up at lunchtime to have sandwiches crafted which can be eaten outside in the perennial garden during nice weather or to purchase some of the extensive homemade specialty items to take home. Gift baskets can be purchased year round with an especially robust choice of baskets around the holidays. Best of all, samples are always available to tempt your taste buds. These samples allow you to try items you might not otherwise purchase. Often we try an unfamiliar cheese that becomes a new favorite.
Annie Gunn’s, the restaurant next door, is also owned by the Sehnert family. As a smokehouse, the facilities specialize in smoked meats. As a result, the market is known for the life sized brass pig out front and the pig sign on the roof of the building. During the floods of 1993, a very famous aerial flood photo was taken of the Smoke House Market with flood waters as high as 12 feet or so. It was nearly unrecognizable except for the pig sign on the roof. Despite the devastation of the floods, both the Smoke House Market and Annie Gunn’s came back strong with Annie Gunn’s even expanding their floor space afterwards. Community support of these beloved Chesterfield landmarks was strong post flood. Once they reopened, the lines for both the market and the restaurant were long. Reservations took months to procure. Everyone was so happy that Annie Gunn’s and the Smoke House were back
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Today, local business people, local residents and even biking enthusiasts who bike by are the many people you will see 6 days a week patronizing these great facilities. It is easy to see why Annie Gunn’s and the Smoke House are legendary in Chesterfield. Located at 16806 Chesterfield Airport Road, Chesterfield, Missouri, these are stops not to be missed as you travel through the area. Stop by soon. You might see us there!
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