The STL Bucket List Show

On this episode of the STL Bucket List Show, we sit down with Gesler and Chloe Joya, the husband-and-wife team behind Casero — the Salvadoran food truck that's become one of St. Charles County's most talked-about bites, one carne asada plate at a time.

Their story starts with nothing. After Gesler lost his dream job during an immigration process and was sent back to St. Louis, the couple moved into an empty apartment w...

On this episode of the STL Bucket List Show, we sit down with Mitch Baden, President and CEO of Royal Banks of Missouri, to discuss what it takes to lead one of St. Louis' longest-standing community banks in an industry that's constantly evolving.

Mitch shares his remarkable 50-year journey in banking—from his memorable first day on the job to leading Royal Banks through rapid technological change, digital banking, and...

On this episode of the STL Bucket List Show, we sit down with Luke and Kevin Beattie, the father-and-son team behind Fox's Finest Market, to talk about bringing a historic Kirkwood storefront back to life and building a business centered around family, quality food, and community.

Luke and Kevin share how their journey began in the automotive industry before taking an unexpected leap into hospitality. They discuss why they b...

On this episode of the STL Bucket List Show, we sit down with Dr. Tayler Onion—host of the Hang Time podcast, professor at UMSL, former Division I volleyball player, and advocate for women in sports—to discuss one of the fastest-growing movements in athletics today.

Tayler shares her journey from growing up on a small farm in rural Illinois to competing at the University of Illinois, earning her doctorate studyin...

On this episode of the STL Bucket List Show, we sit down with Tre G, founder of WerQfest, to explore how a festival that started as a last-minute virtual event during the pandemic has grown into one of St. Louis's most important celebrations of Black queer art, music, and community.

Tre shares his journey growing up in St. Louis, performing from a young age, studying at Berklee College of Music, and ultimately shifting from the stag...

In our first edition of 'At the Table', Brittany Dwyer and Sauce Magazine sit down with James Beard Award-winning chef Loryn Nalic of Balkan Treat Box to talk about her journey, her love for St. Louis, and the story behind one of the city’s most celebrated restaurants coming off her 'Best Chef Midwest' James Beard Award. Loryn shares how family, culture, hard work, and community shaped the food she creates, while reflecting o...

On this episode of the STL Bucket List Show, we sit down with Tatyana Telnikova of Handlebar and Josh Smith of Neon Greens — two of the Grove neighborhood's most iconic business owners — to explore what makes this stretch of Manchester Avenue one of the most vibrant, inclusive, and exciting neighborhoods in St. Louis.

Tatyana shares her unlikely journey from Moscow to St. Louis at age 16, how she fell in love with the ci...

On this episode of the STL Bucket List Show, we sit down with St. Louis author, columnist, and novelist Debbie Baldwin to discuss her latest thriller, The Architect of Deception, a high-society murder mystery filled with secrets, privilege, and unexpected twists.

Debbie shares her journey from growing up in St. Louis and attending Princeton and law school to building a career as a novelist. She reflects on her background as ...

On this episode of the STL Bucket List Show, we sit down with filmmaker, storyteller, and My Friends and I founder Cami Cruz Thomas to discuss the making of Red Brick, Blue Tarp, a powerful new documentary examining the aftermath of the May 16 tornado and the ongoing recovery efforts across North St. Louis.

Cami shares her journey from growing up in St. Louis and working for companies like Tesla and Red Bull to becoming one of the c...

On this episode of the STL Bucket List Show, we sit down with Michael Alter, owner and founder of Fitz’s, to discuss the story behind one of St. Louis’ most iconic brands and how a small soda startup grew into a regional institution recognized across generations.

Michael shares the history of Fitz’s, from its roots as a legendary St. Louis drive-in restaurant to relaunching the brand in 1992 with a vision of creati...

On this episode of the STL Bucket List Show, we sit down with Katie of May’s Place and May’s Night Market to talk about building one of St. Louis’ most influential vintage brands and transforming a small local market into a citywide cultural event drawing more than 10,000 people.

Katie shares the story behind launching May’s Place in South City, leaving the corporate fashion world behind, and creating...

On this episode of the STL Bucket List Show, we sit down with Ross Chaifetzand Andrew Haines of the St. Louis Shock to talk about building one of the fastest-rising franchises in professional sports and why St. Louis has become one of the biggest pickleball markets in the country.

Ross shares the origin story behind the St. Louis Shock—from identifying pickleball as an emerging investment opportunity during the pandemic to lau...

On this episode of the STL Bucket List Show, we sit down with Ryan and Eleni, founders of The Quarter Butcher, to talk about building one of the most unique food businesses in Saint Charles County and bringing whole animal butchery to Dardenne Prairie.

Ryan shares his journey from culinary school and fine dining kitchens—including time at Bulrush, Pastaria, and The Last Hotel—to discovering a passion for butchery and eve...

On this episode of the STL Bucket List Show, we sit down with Sean Hamlin, co-founder of VHS Group and Race Haus, to break down how a home services and technology company unexpectedly evolved into one of the most exciting new motorsports experiences in St. Louis.

Sean shares how VHS Group began with smart home installations, home theaters, and custom tech builds before expanding into golf simulators—and eventually stum...

On this episode of the STL Bucket List Show, we sit down with David Stine and Stephanie Abbajay—owners of Stine Woodworking—to talk about their journey from Washington, D.C. to building one of the most respected custom woodworking brands in St. Louis.

David shares how he went from practicing law to pursuing woodworking full-time, while Stephanie breaks down how their partnership—both in marriage and busines...

On this episode of the STL Bucket List Show, we sit down with Sarah Fenske—journalist, podcast host, and writer at St. Louis Magazine—to talk about her journey through the ever-changing world of media.

She shares how she fell into journalism, built her career through traditional newsrooms, and adapted as the industry shifted from print to digital. From leading the Riverfront Times to launching a daily newsletter, Sarah h...

On this episode of the STL Bucket List Show, we sit down with the creator behind Ope Outdoors to talk about his journey to building a creative brand in St. Louis.

He shares how studying chemistry led to a career he didn’t love, and how picking up a camera changed everything. What started as a creative outlet turned into photography, video work, and eventually Ope Outdoors, a brand inspired by the Midwest and the outdoo...

On this episode of the STL Bucket List Show, we sit down with NHL legend Chris Pronger to talk about his new book Earned and the mindset that shaped one of hockey’s most dominant careers.

Pronger breaks down what “earned” really means to him — from making it to the NHL, to becoming a leader, to sustaining success through discipline, accountability, and consistency. He reflects on his early career stru...

On this episode of the STL Bucket List Show, we sit down with Ricky—founder of Run Crew—to talk about how running, community, and purpose are transforming lives across St. Louis.

Ricky shares his journey from growing up in Jennings and pursuing sports and music, to facing depression during the pandemic—and how a simple decision to start running changed everything. What began as a personal outlet quickly evolved int...