Voting for Best of South County opens Tuesday, Oct. 6 at noon and closes Monday, Oct. 12 at 11:59 p.m. Plus everything happening this month.
The South County Chamber

Issue One  |  October 2026

We asked AI what's happening in South County.

It told our story back to us.

Amber asked an AI for a neutral briefing on business in South County. We didn't tell it about NexCore, the Chamber, or anyone on Tesson Ferry. Here's what it said, word for word:

"The most important signal this week isn't the number of openings. It is that a small entrepreneurial cluster is becoming visible around Tesson Ferry Road."

"Tesson Ferry is showing the other side of the equation: coworking, locally founded companies, specialty retail and skilled people turning their expertise into businesses."

"South County's business ecosystem needs more pathways like that—not only restaurants and retailers, but residents converting professional skills into locally headquartered firms."

— AI-generated South County Business & Economic Development Brief, October 5, 2026

Nobody planned that. It grew. A vision is starting to take shape, and it's a shared story.

Best of South County

Voting opens Tuesday, Oct. 6 at noon and closes Monday, Oct. 12 at 11:59 p.m.

First category up: Best Pumpkin Spice Latte or Specialty Coffee. Tell us who's pouring the best cup in South County.

Cast your vote

What happened

RBE Fitness opened its doors

RBE Fitness, Routines Build Everything

On Saturday, October 3, Coach Nick Lunceford cut the ribbon on RBE Fitness at 11820 Tesson Ferry Road, then put the crowd to work with a free community workout. HIIT, calisthenics, and habit-based personal growth, built by someone from here, for people who live here. Welcome to the neighborhood, Coach.

The Seasonal Artisan Market at Nancy's Urban Tower Farm

Nancy's Urban Tower Farm

It took real effort for me to even find this event. When I got there, the story was the vendors. The story is always the vendors.

But that's not the real story.

We met incredible women, every one of them with a business, every one of them building something. And nobody was there telling their story.

That changes now.

Stay tuned. Nancy's story is coming in an upcoming episode of the SOCO Spotlight.

Jim Shelvy, Founder

Have an event of your own? Put it on the community calendar. If it's happening in South County, we want people to find it.

See the full calendar

We are a collective community.

We are South County.

We are the ecosystem.

It's not NexCore. It's not RBE Fitness. It's not Nancy's Urban Tower Farm, or the event. It's all of us.

It's each of us coming together, showing up for all of us.

SOCO Cares kickoff

How can you help close the gap?

If you want to know how you can be part of what's happening in South County, start here. The help our neighbors need already exists. Too often, it just never reaches them. SOCO Cares is how we close that gap.

Community Champion Cherique Simpson will share the year-one goals, then we'll walk the room together and find where you fit. Come in person or join online.

Thursday, October 15, 6–7pm

Save your seat

Coming up

WHERE TO SHOW UP

Next two weeks

  • Tue, Oct 6 · 6pm

    NexCore Sessions, Episode Two

    "AI Works As Well As You Teach It To Work." Two hands-on hours. Bring your laptop or phone.

  • Tue, Oct 6

    Best of South County voting opens

    First category: Best Pumpkin Spice Latte or Specialty Coffee.

  • Oct 7–9

    Small Business & Nonprofit Conference

    St. Louis County Library, Clark Family Branch and online. 55+ free programs on AI, grants, social media, and planning.

  • Thu, Oct 8 · 9:30am

    BusinessGPS

    Every Thursday, doors at 9. A weekly growth community. Visiting is free. Always.

  • Thu, Oct 15 · 6–7pm

    SOCO Cares Kickoff

    "How can you help close the gap?" In person or online. More below.

  • Sat, Oct 17 · 5–9pm

    Media Cavern Grand Opening

    11828 Tesson Ferry. The old CD Warehouse lives on as an independent home for physical media and collectibles.

Mark your calendar

  • Wed, Oct 21 · 5pm

    Overmann All Around Handyman Services

    11820 Tesson Ferry. Grand opening and ribbon cutting for Matt Overmann, a South County native with twenty years in the trades.

  • Thu, Oct 22 · 6–8pm

    One Decision Away

    With Simon Yost. Free and open to everyone.

See the full calendar →