Cherokee Street has marked the start of new beginnings for friends-turned-business owners Sara Johnson and Stephanie McKinney, owners of Anchovy Book Co. After launching into uncertainty by opening St. Louis’ only cookbook shop in the fall of 2024, Johnson and McKinney are now preparing for its expansion with a bigger storefront off Cherokee, where it all began.
Johnson and McKinney met in 2013 at the Print Bazaar on Cherokee Street. Bonded by their mutual love for hospitality, the two became fast friends and eventual neighbors for some time, deciding to start a dried citrus side hustle selling garland and simmer kits during the holidays. While for fun, the business venture revealed how in sync they worked with a shared vision.
In early 2024, McKinney initially launched Vanchovy, a mobile shop selling used and vintage cookbooks out of a van. The cookbook shop concept was established by the time a 6-foot-wide by 50-foot-long storefront became vacant on Cherokee Street. McKinney asked Johnson if she’d be interested in opening a brick-and-mortar alongside her in the tiny but mighty space. Johnson needed little to no time before saying yes, and the two were once again joining forces.
“Sara has so many skills that I don’t have and vice versa, so it’s nice to balance each other out with our skill sets,” said McKinney. “We worked together before, and we knew we could do it.”
The two were in it together when they officially opened the Anchovy storefront in the neighborhood they both grew to love, though neither is originally from St. Louis.
“We really had no idea what to expect as far as what sales would look like or if St. Louis would even be into a cookbook store,” said Johnson.
The pair opened their doors in November 2024, announcing the shop’s mission as a tiny yet mighty cookbook store dedicated to empowering home cooks and inspiring St. Louisans to practice hospitality around their tables.
Beyond the steady growth of Anchovy’s cookbook sales in under two years since opening, Johnson and McKinney have also fostered a growing community of food lovers and home cooks through their potluck-style cookbook club.
Hot Dish! is a ticketed monthly event where participants choose a recipe from the featured title to cook and share with fellow home cooks in a venue secured by Anchovy. Tickets go on sale approximately 30 days before the event and include a seat at the table, a drink ticket redeemable for an alcoholic or nonalcoholic option, all tableware and cutlery, and 20% off the featured title through Anchovy. Participants can also borrow the book from a friend or their local library. Since fostering a space for community through Hot Dish!, Johnson and McKinney have heard stories of friends reconciling and strangers connecting.
The popularity of the cookbook club, which sells out every month, usually in under an hour, paired with the increasing difficulty of fulfilling online cookbook orders from the tiny shop, ultimately became the catalyst for choosing to move into a bigger space.
The expanded space is allowing Johnson and McKinney the chance to imagine the possibilities while still staying grounded in their passion for hospitality.
“We have a heart for hospitality and making people feel welcome and seen, and I really believe that is evident in our shop,” said Johnson. “When people come in, we want to expand on that and make a place where welcome is the priority.”
The pair plans to build out a kitchenette to host Hot Dish! in-house, with hopes of hosting more than one event a month to accommodate more people and dietary restrictions while keeping up with the high demand.
They also hope to host private parties for small to medium groups celebrating special occasions, such as bridal showers or birthday parties, while opening their space to host cookbook authors and local chef panels as well.
Johnson and McKinney took to Instagram in mid-June to announce the news of their move from their tiny shop to the bigger space, receiving excitement and support from the community since. To help make the move a success, they started a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign, which officially runs until July 12. As shared in the post, every contribution helps create a more functional, welcoming space to expand their inventory and invest in food-focused gatherings with less financial pressure.
“We’ve had so much community support. We were doing this either way – if we were fully funded or not – but this gives us flexibility in what we’re doing,” said McKinney. “We want to bring the same kind of charm that’s in the tiny shop to the larger space.”
The tiny shop, located at 2619½ Cherokee St., will remain open through the end of September, Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m., where the two welcome visitors to say hello and celebrate this new venture with them. The new shop, located at 2600 Cherokee St., is set to open sometime in early October.