County of depot: Franklin County
Location of depot: Main St. & Washington St., Labadie
Built: 1880s
Abandoned: 1920s
Railroad: Missouri Pacific Railroad
Phone: (636) 451-6065
"Marks on the floor of the old Labadie train depot show where a huge deli case used to stand when the building was home to Schultz’s General Store. Anyone who frequented the shop in the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s likely remembers it.
"The enormous case is gone now — it had to be cut up and moved piece by piece because it was too big to fit through the door — but in its place are prints and paintings, jewelry items, handmade felt purses, restored antique furniture pieces, interesting old signs and utilitarian items, like an old typewriter, old books, “penny candy” . . .
"The historic Schultz’s General Store that so many remember and loved has been reborn as Labadie Station Art and Antiques, “an emporium of creativity, art, antiques and curiosities.”
"Stepping inside the nondescript clapboard building, surrounded by handcrafted pieces from some of Labadie’s best artists, feels like a warm welcome from the town.
"And that’s what has been driving business, said Cody Long, who envisioned what the old depot could be for friends of hers when they inherited the property as part of the Schultz estate and who now manages the business.
'“We have a lot of artists in Labadie and people who provide services but have no retail outlet . . . ”
"And with the many people who come to Labadie for its popular restaurants or as part of a scenic drive down Highway T, Long knew the customer base was already there.
'“There was just nowhere for them to shop,” said Long.
"Labadie Station officially opened last November, but the property, which doubles as an outdoor venue for concerts, exhibits and such, held its first event last August when the award-winning bluegrass band, the Blue Canyon Boys, performed.
"Since then customers have been coming into Labadie Station, sometimes just for a bit of nostalgia, but they leave happily purchasing some of the art pieces and antiques.
'“The best retail we have is a piece of Labadie,” Long remarked, gesturing around the store. “These are all made by local artists or found by local folks with antiquing backgrounds.”
"A side room has allowed the opportunity to hold small classes in things like watercolor painting and creative writing, which Long said has been a great way for local residents to mix and mingle.
'“We find there are a lot of people who have lived next door to each other but never knew each other because there’s no town hall area,” she said. “We want to make this a gathering point.”
Missouri Pacific Station
"Believed to have been built in the late 1800s as a main stop on the Missouri Pacific Railroad for livestock before it was shipped over the hill, the Labadie depot also served a passenger line for people traveling to and from Labadie.
"Long has an old photo from the early 1900s showing townsfolk dressed up and waiting at the depot for a ride to the Franklin County Fair.
"But when Missouri Pacific built a new rail line that bypassed Labadie in the late 1920s, the tracks were pulled up and property sat vacant for two decades, said Long.
"Harry Schultz, who owned Schultz’s General Store then located in a two-story building across the street, purchased the property, moved the depot from its original location on the other side of Front Street to where it stands today, and relocated his business there. It closed July 24, 1976 — a calendar from the Bank of Washington still hangs on the wall inside with “Close Store” written on that date.
"The old depot remained boarded up until last year when Long, with the help of other town people, like Barb and Bill Troutman, as well as her friend C.J. Staats, began renovating the building to reopen it as a retail business, this time focusing on Labadie’s treasured mix of artists.
"Building in Good Shape
"Long said the building was in good shape when she opened the door to check it out back in November 2010, but it was hard to see at first because there was so much stuff still inside.
'“It was floor to ceiling full of storage — goods left over from the general store, jars of baby food and olives, tons of soda crates,” said Long.
"She and Barb Troutman organized two large estate sales to clean out the space. Some of the items were “great finds” for anyone who appreciates antiques or old-fashioned items, but the ladies said they knew they couldn’t keep everything.
'“We had to pass on a lot of great finds,” said Long, “but it was a chance for the people in the community who were familiar with the Schultz family to get a piece of history, a souvenir.”
"The people who knew the building as Schultz’s General Store are still coming, and “that’s been the fun part,” said Long.
'“The building is a long standing piece of the community’s history, sort of lost in time behind boarded up windows and overgrown weeds,” she said.
'“Many locals have stories of shopping there as a young child . . . buying comics or penny candy and chocolate soda. And even a few of the older locals can remember when it was the Missouri Pacific Train station in the early part of the century, seeing the cattle out back in the feed lot waiting for the next train, or riding the train to Washington to high school and even remembering seeing the day laborers sitting out front on the old log bench waiting for farmers to come by looking for day help.”
"They share their stories with her when they come in to shop, and Long loves to listen. It’s part of the vision she had for what the building could be.
"Once the building was cleared of its old contents, Long and Troutman began the renovation process. They painted the walls, sanded and resealed the original wood floors.
"Initially there was a problem over how to fix the back wall of the building, where there had once been a leak, but Long came up with the idea of covering up the wall with old wood doors. The look fits in with the repurposed look of the shop.
"Outside, the 3 1/2 acres which had become so overgrown was cleared as a venue for concerts and exhibits, like the spring and fall antique tractor shows already planned.
"Keep reading for a complete list of upcoming events at Labadie Station.
"Renovation work took about 10 months, from November 2010 to September 2011.
"List of Artists, Vendors
"There are currently 14 local artists/vendors who have items for sale at Labadie Station and two more will be adding items by the end of the month, said Long.
"The artists/vendors rent space from the Station, and several also take turns working the register.
"Every three months or so, Long rearranges the displays inside the Station so shoppers have a new experience each visit. And the artists/vendors are routinely bringing in new products, she said.
"Artists/Vendors include:
"Miriam Krone, original watercolor paintings and giclee reproductions;
"Christine Alt, botanical ornamental accents;
"Janet Deitrich, felted and needlework wearable designs;
"Debbie Wagonseller, quilts, wall hangings, hand quilting, weavings . . . ;
"Marijo Bianco, digital illustrations;
"Bryan Haynes, landscape prints and note cards;
"Charlotte Warnebold, decor crafted gourds;
"Susan Saunders, hand-crafted baskets;
"Shauna O’Brien, handmade jewelry;
"Kim William Gordon, photo art prints;
"Sam Stang, hand-blown glass pieces;
"Gramp’s Farm Antiques;
"Revere Restorations and Antiques by Lani O’Neil; and
"Hound House Antiques, Elsie Roth to benefit Critters for Critters Animal Rescue.
"Upcoming Events
"Beginning in April, Labadie Station will hold a Pickers Paradise upscale flea market the first Saturday of every month (through October, at least).
"Other events include:
"Spring Vintage Tractor and Farm Heritage Days, April 28-29;
"All Things Artsy arts, crafts and antique show, May 12-13;
"Bluegrass concert by Nu Blue, May 19;
"Grassroots concert by Augusta Bottoms Concert, June 9;
"A bluegrass concert June 16;
"A Wood Guthrie Tribute Concert, July 7;
"A bluegrass concert, July 21;
"The Pernikoff Brothers indie rock concert, Aug. 4;
"Blue Canyon Boys bluegrass concert, Aug. 18;
"The Moon Cats classic rock concert, Sept. 1;
"Bluegrass concert, Sept. 15;
"Labadie Station Rib Cook-Off, Sept. 22;
"Quilters Weekend quilt show, Oct. 6-7;
"Labadie Chili Cook-Off, Oct. 14; and
"Fall Vintage Tractor and Farm Heritage Days, Oct. 27-28.
"The Labadie Farmers Market is held at the Station property on Saturdays at 8 a.m. from May to October.
"For a list of classes offered at Labadie Station, people can check out the calendar listings under the “What the Heck Do You Do in Labadie” tab at www.labadiestation.com.
"Winter hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m., but Long said if she notices a long wait for patrons at the restaurants across the street, she’ll keep the doors open longer, enticing them to come over to shop.
"For more information, people can call Labadie Station at 636-459-9143.
"Long also has created a YouTube Channel for Labadie Station at http://www.youtube.com/user/LabadieStation."
~ Washington Missourian, By Karen Cernich, Features Editor Jan 18, 2012, on emissourian.com