Discover Unique Finds: Your Guide to St. Louis Union Station Shopping
Revised July 14, 2026
What shopping is at St. Louis Union Station?
St. Louis Union Station is more experience than traditional mall now — the old shops gave way to attractions like the aquarium, the St. Louis Wheel, and mini-golf, alongside gift shops, candy and sweets stores, and boutiques inside the historic 1894 train shed. Expect souvenirs and local treats rather than a full retail mall, plus restaurants, hotels, and the nightly fire-and-light show.
Keep reading ↓If you grew up around St. Louis in the ‘80s or ‘90s, “Union Station” probably means one thing: the mall. The Disney Store, the Fudgery pulling taffy in the window, the food court, that whole festival-marketplace buzz under the old train shed. So it’s a fair question when you’re planning a visit today — can I still go shopping at Union Station?
The honest answer is that Union Station isn’t the shopping mall it used to be. But it turned into something arguably better: one of St. Louis’s top family destinations, where the “shopping” is now charming gift shops and sweet treats woven through a whole complex of attractions, restaurants, and a landmark hotel.
Here’s the straight story on what happened to the mall, what shopping and gifts you’ll actually find at Union Station today, and how to make a great visit out of it — verified against Union Station’s current information for 2026.
Bookmark this before you go — and set your expectations right: Union Station is a play-and-dine destination now, not a mall.
Is there still a mall at Union Station in St. Louis?
No — the traditional shopping mall at Union Station is gone. The 1980s festival marketplace, with its dozens of stores, declined through the 2000s and eventually closed. In a fitting twist, the St. Louis Aquarium literally took over the old interior mall space when Union Station was redeveloped into an entertainment destination. So if you’re picturing a day of retail browsing, that’s not what Union Station offers anymore.
What replaced it is, for most visitors, a lot more fun: an aquarium, a 200-foot observation wheel, a ropes course, mini golf, a mirror maze, nightly light and fire shows, a slate of restaurants, and a beautifully restored historic hotel. The “shopping” today is the gift-shop-and-treats kind — a nice add-on to a day of attractions rather than the main event.
What shopping and gifts you’ll find at Union Station today
Set your expectations for specialty gift shops and sweets, not department stores, and you’ll have a great time. Here’s what’s actually there:
- The St. Louis Aquarium gift shop — the biggest “store” at Union Station, packed with plush sharks and otters, toys, apparel, and souvenirs. You don’t always need an aquarium ticket to browse it, and it’s the go-to for a kid’s keepsake.
- Cookies and Cupcakes — a bakery for a sweet grab-and-go treat.
- The Soda Fountain — part restaurant, part candy-and-sweets shop, famous for over-the-top “Freak Shakes” and old-fashioned confections.
- Attraction shops and kiosks — small gift and photo stands tied to the Wheel and the other attractions, good for souvenirs and mementos.
It’s the perfect setup for grabbing a gift or a sweet on your way through — just don’t arrive expecting a mall directory.
Looking for a keepsake? The best Union Station souvenirs skew local and kid-friendly: a plush shark or otter from the aquarium shop, a St. Louis Wheel photo, gooey-butter-flavored treats, or classic candy from the Soda Fountain. It’s enough to satisfy the “can we get something?” request without a full shopping trip — and the aquarium store in particular is roomy and genuinely fun to browse.
What happened to the Union Station mall?
The story is a St. Louis landmark’s reinvention. Union Station opened in 1894 as the largest and busiest railroad terminal in the world, serving 22 railroads beneath its jaw-dropping Grand Hall. As passenger rail faded, the last train pulled out in 1978, and the station sat looking for a purpose.
In 1985 it reopened as a festival marketplace mall — the era most St. Louisans remember, full of shops and restaurants. That format thrived for a while, then slowly declined as retail changed, until the stores emptied out. Rather than let a National Historic Landmark fade, developers reimagined it: beginning around 2018–2019, Union Station was redeveloped into a family entertainment and hospitality destination, anchored by the new St. Louis Aquarium (opened Christmas Day 2019) and the St. Louis Wheel. The Grand Hall became the centerpiece for a spectacular free 3D light show. The building was saved — just with a new job.
It’s a history worth appreciating while you’re there. At its opening, Union Station was the largest and busiest passenger terminal in the world, and generations of travelers — soldiers heading off to war, families heading West, dignitaries and everyday St. Louisans — passed beneath that Grand Hall ceiling. Standing in the same room today, now full of families on their way to see sharks, is its own kind of only-in-St.-Louis moment.
What Union Station is now — the real reason to visit
Come for a full day, not a shopping trip, and Union Station shines. Under one roof (and one lakefront plaza) you’ll find:
- The St. Louis Aquarium — six galleries including the 250,000-gallon Shark Canyon.
- The St. Louis Wheel — a 200-foot observation wheel with enclosed, climate-controlled gondolas.
- A carousel, ropes course, mini golf, and a mirror maze — all indoors, great for mixed-age groups.
- The free Fire & Light Show on the lake and the free 3D light show in the Grand Hall — two of the best no-cost experiences in the city.
- Restaurants and the Soda Fountain, plus the landmark St. Louis Union Station Hotel, part of Hilton’s Curio Collection.
For the full rundown, see our guides to planning your St. Louis Aquarium visit and everything there is to do at Union Station.
Union Station is also a year-round calendar of its own. The holidays bring the Polar Express Train Ride and festive lights, summer adds outdoor rides and lakeside food stands, and the free Fire & Light Show runs nightly whatever the season. It’s worth checking the events calendar before you go — there’s often something special layered on top of the regular attractions, and plenty of it is free to enjoy.
Where to eat at Union Station
If the old food court is what you miss, the dining at Union Station today is a real upgrade. There’s a spread of sit-down and grab-and-go options:
- The Train Shed — American plates, shareables, and cocktails under the historic train-shed canopy.
- The Soda Fountain — retro diner fare and those famous Freak Shakes.
- Station Grille — breakfast and lunch in the beautifully restored Fred Harvey restaurant space.
- Landry’s Seafood House — Gulf Coast seafood with boardwalk seating on the lake.
- The Grand Hall — dinner and drinks beneath the 65-foot archways, one of the most striking rooms in St. Louis.
- The Pitch Athletic Club & Tavern and Cookies and Cupcakes, plus seasonal outdoor stands.
Don’t miss the Grand Hall
Even if you buy nothing and ride nothing, walk into the Grand Hall and look up. Designed by architect Theodore Link and opened in 1894, its Romanesque, barrel-vaulted ceiling soars 65 feet, dressed in gold leaf, mosaic, and stained glass — a genuine cathedral of the railroad age. Each night it becomes the canvas for a free 3D light show of more than 30 video vignettes projected across the ceiling. The room also carries real history: the on-site Station Grille occupies the restored space of the original Fred Harvey restaurant, part of the legendary “Harvey Girls” era of railroad dining. It’s the best free thing to do at Union Station, no ticket required.
Sweet St. Louis: treats worth taking home
If your idea of “shopping” leans delicious, St. Louis delivers. The Soda Fountain at Union Station is the spot for candy, old-fashioned sodas, and those famous shakes — a sweet souvenir you eat on the way out. And it fits the city’s legacy: St. Louis has a genuinely sweet history, from gooey butter cake (the beloved local specialty) to the ice cream cone, famously popularized at the 1904 World’s Fair right here in town. Grab a treat at Union Station, and you’re part of a long St. Louis tradition.
Stay the night: the Union Station Hotel
You can also sleep inside the landmark. The St. Louis Union Station Hotel, part of Hilton’s Curio Collection, occupies the historic head house, with the breathtaking Grand Hall serving as its lobby bar and lounge. It blends the grandeur of the railroading age — original architecture, soaring ceilings, old-world detail — with modern rooms and amenities. For a special-occasion stay or an easy base for a downtown weekend, waking up steps from the aquarium, the Wheel, and the nightly light shows is hard to beat. (Aquarium members even get a discount on rooms.)
Making a trip of it
The move is to treat Union Station as a half- or full-day outing. Arrive mid-morning, do the aquarium, browse the gift shop, grab lunch and a Freak Shake, ride the Wheel toward sunset, and stay for the free Fire & Light Show after dark. A few tips to make it smooth:
- Bundle your tickets — combo passes cover the aquarium, the Wheel, and the rides for less than buying separately.
- Validate parking at a gift shop for the $5 South Lot rate before you leave (credit card only).
- Time the free shows — check the daily schedule for the Fire & Light Show and Grand Hall light show so you don’t miss them.
- Go by MetroLink if downtown parking isn’t your thing — the Union Station stop is a short walk away.
Union Station is at 1820 Market Street, right in the heart of downtown — close to the Gateway Arch, Ballpark Village, and the rest of a St. Louis weekend.
Planning more of your St. Louis trip? Find restaurants, attractions, and local shops on the St Louis Near Me Directory.
Run a St. Louis shop, boutique, or attraction? Listing it is how visitors planning their trip find you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there still a mall at Union Station in St. Louis?
No. The old festival-marketplace mall closed, and the St. Louis Aquarium was built into the former interior mall space when Union Station was redeveloped. Today Union Station is a family entertainment and dining destination — the shopping is limited to gift shops and sweet-treat spots like the aquarium store and the Soda Fountain, not a traditional mall.
What is inside St. Louis Union Station?
Union Station holds the St. Louis Aquarium, the 200-foot St. Louis Wheel, a carousel, a ropes course, mini golf, and a mirror maze, plus restaurants, the Soda Fountain, gift shops, and the landmark St. Louis Union Station Hotel (Curio Collection by Hilton). It’s also home to a free nightly Fire & Light Show and a 3D light show in the historic Grand Hall.
Is there anything free to do at Union Station?
Yes. The nightly Fire & Light Show on the lake and the 3D light show projected across the Grand Hall’s 65-foot ceiling are both free, and simply walking through the beautifully restored 1894 Grand Hall costs nothing. The aquarium, the Wheel, and the rides are ticketed, but you can enjoy a good chunk of Union Station for free.
What candy or sweets is St. Louis known for?
St. Louis’s signature sweet is gooey butter cake, a dense, buttery local original, and the city is famously tied to the ice cream cone, which was popularized at the 1904 World’s Fair here. At Union Station, the Soda Fountain is the place for candy, classic sodas, and its over-the-top Freak Shakes — a fun sweet stop or souvenir.
Is Union Station in St. Louis worth visiting?
Yes, especially for families and visitors — just come for the attractions, dining, and free light shows rather than shopping. Between the aquarium, the St. Louis Wheel, the rides, the historic Grand Hall, and the nightly Fire & Light Show, it’s an easy half- or full-day out. The building itself, a restored 1894 landmark, is worth seeing on its own.
How much is parking at Union Station?
The South Lot at Union Station offers a $5 flat rate when you validate at a gift shop (credit card only), which is a bargain for downtown. You can also skip parking by taking MetroLink to the Union Station stop on the Red or Blue line, just a short walk from the entrance at 1820 Market Street.
Written by a dedicated team of St. Louis locals who live, work, and play right here in the St. Louis metro. Founder Lane Forman and team are committed to building the region’s most trusted directory by verifying listings and connecting local businesses with loyal customers across Missouri and Illinois.