Entry No. 33 — the St. Louis file — filed under: upcycling
Perennial STL
Perennial is a community workshop and store in South St. Louis focused entirely on creative reuse and hands-on crafting with salvaged materials.
The story
Most craft spaces sell you pristine retail kits and pre-packaged supplies. Perennial operates on a radically different premise: everything you construct here came out of someone else's demolition bin, attic, or scrap heap. Tucked along South Broadway in Dutchtown, this 501(c)3 non-profit creative reuse workshop acts as a practical lab for unmaking disposable consumer culture.
Step inside and you will find shelves stocked with reclaimed wax, offcut lumber, forgotten textiles, and salvaged tins waiting for a second life. Their workshop schedule reads like an inventory of offbeat practical alchemy—teaching you how to melt salvaged wax into solid perfume housed in upcycled containers, dye fabrics with natural elements, or build functional items out of salvaged wood.
Because it functions as a community enterprise rather than a standard retail boutique, the focus stays squarely on teaching hands-on skills and keeping raw materials out of St. Louis landfills. You walk away not just with a custom hand-crafted object, but with a practical understanding of how to reclaim things everyone else threw away.
What it's like
Expect a workshop environment that feels equal parts organized salvage yard, woodworking shop, and community studio. When you arrive for a scheduled class, you will be getting your hands dirty immediately—whether that means measuring out essential oils, handling dye pots, or using hand tools. Wear clothes you do not mind getting scuffed or dusted with sawdust, and make sure to book your class spot online ahead of time since workshop seating is intentionally kept small.
The move: Attend one of their unique workshops, like 'DIY Solid Perfume,' where you learn to blend essential oils and melt salvaged wax to create custom scents housed in upcycled, reclaimed containers.
- 📍 Dutchtown
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 3762 S Broadway, St. Louis, MO 63118
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- The TypOsphere StL — Pair your hands-on salvage crafting session with a short trip down Cherokee Street to inspect over 150 mechanical vintage typewriters.
- Clements Bar — After making something out of reclaimed materials, head half a mile away for a drink inside an active daytime locksmith shop that turns into a bar on Thursday nights.
- Venice Cafe — See what creative reuse looks like on a maximalist scale by grabbing a cash-only drink surrounded by mosaic tile and assembled oddities in nearby Benton Park.
Good to know
What kinds of classes does Perennial offer?
Workshops rotate regularly and focus entirely on creative reuse, covering skills like DIY solid perfume blending, natural dyeing, upcycled woodworking, and textile repurposing.
Do I need to bring my own scrap materials to a class?
No. Perennial supplies all the salvaged materials, tools, and hardware required for their hands-on workshops.
Where is Perennial located?
They are located in South St. Louis at 3762 S Broadway in the Dutchtown neighborhood.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site
last checked: 2026-07-21