Tempting the Senses — Sophisticated St. Louis

Hearth & Soul in Ladue welcomes everyone into its cozy and cheerful abode.

By Christy Marshall

Sauntering into Hearth & Soul is like visiting the home of an old friend. Albeit, a very wealthy buddy with an extremely well-appointed house but it’s the kind of warm and cozy place where you can simply hang out on a couch or the patio. Have a complementary cuppa. And where you can shop. Til you drop. Everything you see is for sale.

“It’s a gathering place for the community to discover new finds or reunite with old loves,” says Susie Busch Transou, the store’s owner and originator. “So, it can be people or it can be the discovery of an experience or discovery of things, depending on what your needs are and what your desires are. Then if you fall in love with something and want to take it home, you can shop. We believe in immediate gratification.”

The range of products is impressive. “If you want a $25 or $30 gift, we have it for you. If you want a $2,500 gift, we have that for you, too.”

But as anyone with a friend whose tastes are refined and their choices impeccable, we wanted to know what Susie considers the essentials for a home and for inclusion in her store’s inventory?

“Simple, modern, classic,” Susie says. “What comes with that is a space that is uncluttered yet full. It is uncluttered in that you feel peaceful when you're in it, but it's full of significance and flavor and texture at the same time. But it's very livable. I want to be able to sit on the couch and enjoy it.”

Five dogs — a Mastiff, two Labradors, a miniature Labradoodle, and a Lhasa Apso — and three children reside at the Busch Transou house. “I didn't want to be the mom that would be like, ‘Don't sit there, don't stand there.’ No. So, it has to be quality, durable, but also aesthetically pleasing and beautiful. And in my world, that tends to be more neutral with pops of color.”

Take the old and mix it with the new. “I love that kind of eclectic blend of old and new that is timeless,” she says. “I love, as you can see, taking a vintage Hermes scarf and framing it. It’s the unexpected uses of classics.”

Referring to herself as a “less is more” kind of person, she adds that things need to be able to work everywhere. “I love being able to move things. I do this all the time from room to room. So, there is a common palette, if you will, and design aesthetic. You can make a room look new just by bringing something from one room in and swapping.”

Boil it all down and Susie Busch Transou’s aesthetic taps all five senses.

Sight: “I am claustrophobic so light is very important to me. So that's why you see a lot of light fixtures, whether it be sconces or chandeliers or lamps.”

Smell: “I love candles. Surprise and delight.”

Taste: The store has an entire kitchen nook with everything from local honey to spices, jams, and even steak seasoning made with a recipe created by her father, August Busch III.

Feel: “The world is pretty chaotic and you want to be in space that brings peace and tranquility. And even just even being in here with our team, we want to energize yet calm.” The overriding consideration is comfort. “And that goes down to our shoes. Seriously.”

Texture: “I always have loved texture. I think you can see that here in terms of materials and things and art and personality.”

Hear: “Music is very important to me. And you can see that here at Hearth, we've always got our music, and we sell the Turtlebox speakers, which are great speakers, and then also some fun little tiny speakers.”

Another key component to the store: community outreach. “We call it the Shine a Light program where we have a monthly not-for-profit partner. We do three things: We sell a candle to benefit the cause. We spread awareness through our social media and in-store about what the cause does. Then we host an event for them to invite 50 to 75 of their either supporters or constituents or volunteers or staff members to just say thank you.”
The St. Louis store celebrates its first anniversary this fall and Susie is looking forward to more success. “I guess it all makes sense, right? Different textures, diversity of thought, just interesting aesthetics in visual, in thought, and in emotion.”