Needlepoint Shops in St. Louis

Two shops a few miles apart, one of them a charity that has been running since 1966.

St. Louis has two needlepoint shops about four miles apart, both in the western suburbs, and one of them is not really a business at all. Sign of the Arrow has been a non-profit since 1966, staffed largely by volunteers, with its proceeds going to local charities.

That means buying a canvas there is also a donation. The other, The Needlepoint Clubhouse, is a conventional full-service shop with a finishing operation that takes work from well outside Missouri.

Ladue

Manchester Road

What makes Sign of the Arrow unusual

It started in 1966 as a philanthropic project and has stayed one. The shop sells painted canvases, threads, books, and accessories, and does finishing and custom design, and the money goes out to local causes rather than to owners.

Practically, it also keeps unusually wide hours: six days a week from 9:30am. For a trade where four-hour days and three-day weeks are common, that is worth knowing.

Before you go

• Call the Clubhouse first. They do not publish hours on their contact page, and Manchester Road is not a street to drive on speculatively.
• Check the Clubhouse address twice. Older directory listings still show a different number on Manchester Road. The one on this page came from the shop's own site.
• Sign of the Arrow opens earliest. 9:30am, six days a week, which makes it the easy one to fit around anything else.
• Bring the canvas if you have one. Thread and mesh have to be matched to the specific canvas, and nobody can do that from a photograph. See our thread guide for what that pairing involves.

FAQ

Is Sign of the Arrow really a charity shop?

It is a non-profit needlepoint and gift shop, not a thrift store. The stock is new and the canvases are the same painted ones you would find anywhere, but the proceeds fund local charities and much of the staffing is volunteer.

Which one does finishing?

Both. The Needlepoint Clubhouse runs a substantial finishing service and does not charge until the finished piece is back in the shop, which is a fairer arrangement than most. Read our finishing guide before you hand anything over.

Is there a needlepoint shop in Kansas City or Columbia?

Not that we have written up yet. If you know one, tell us and we will check it.

How far apart are they?

About four miles, one on Clayton Road and one on Manchester Road, both west of the city. You can comfortably do both in a morning.

New to needlepoint?

If you are heading to one of these shops for the first time, it helps to know roughly what you are looking at before you walk in.

• How to start needlepoint, for what a first kit actually needs to contain.
• Mesh count explained, for the number on every canvas label.
• Thread types, for the wool, cotton, and silk question.
• Finishing, for what happens after the stitching is done and what it costs.

Shop details were checked in September 2026 against each shop's own listings. Hours change, so please call ahead. If something here is out of date, or your shop is missing, tell us and we will fix it.