Our History
In the late 19th century, employment opportunities for women were limited. In response, Ariadne Lawnin, a prominent St. Louisan, gathered a group of women and founded The Woman’s Exchange of St. Louis with a simple but powerful idea: to create opportunities for women to earn income through the sale of their handmade goods and finely crafted garments.
In September 1883, The Woman’s Exchange officially opened its doors at 214 North Sixth Street. In addition to the gift shop, the Exchange operated a tearoom serving affordable meals, maintained a lending library of 950 volumes, and offered instruction in cooking, sewing, needlework, and other popular domestic arts.
More than 140 years later, that spirit of enterprise, creativity, community, and service continues to guide The Woman’s Exchange today.
Pictured: Ariadne Lawnin, founder of The Woman’s Exchange St. Louis
A Legacy of Service and Self-Reliance
From its earliest days, The Woman’s Exchange was built on the belief that meaningful opportunity could be created through work, skill, and community support.
In an 1883 edition of The Missouri Republic, the founding women were described this way:
“Starting out upon the principle that there could be no greater charity than helping those who try to help themselves, the ladies are bound to succeed if the earnestness of intent and never failing attention to detail can guarantee success.”
That same spirit of independence, craftsmanship, and service continues to shape The Woman’s Exchange today.