By Kylie Burks

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – It’s a Saturday afternoon. Cars are stacked bumper to bumper lining Pickwick and Cherry St. Open signs are flipped to herald pedestrians into eclectic shops as people ranging from young adult to senior wander up and down sidewalks. Some stop at Tea Bar and Bites for a cup of tea and pastry. Others stop for lunch and coffee at Cherry Picker Package and Fare or at Artistree to paint a mug. No matter their destination, everyone experiences the charm of this small corner tucked inside of the greater Rountree neighborhood.

Rountree is a neighborhood bubbling with small business culture and carries a small-town feel despite being in the heart of Springfield. Bordered by Chestnut Expressway to the north, Glenstone Ave. to the east, Grand St. to the south and National Ave. to the west, Rountree is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city.

It boasts a large number of historic homes surrounding Rountree Elementary School that are mostly single-family units, according to neighborhood health indicators. The median home value in 2023 was $285,526 and 77.5% of the residents live above the poverty line.

Though the houses located in Rountree are beautiful, it is the community of people that makes this neighborhood unique. While much of the area is residential, there are many small businesses who call this neighborhood home. These businesses include restaurants, trinket and artwork shops, bakeries and even pottery painting. Each business has its own look that makes it stand out, and many use their business to engage with the residents of Rountree.

One business known as The Local Bevy sells “handmade local art and goods,” according to their Instagram page. However, their services go beyond selling their merchandise, and they put on community events to engage the rest of the neighborhood, especially during holiday seasons like Halloween. Last October, they hosted four events throughout the month, including a pizzas, pumpkins and pies weekend and a “howl-o-ween” event right before Halloween which attracted neighbors and other people from across the city.

Another community event is the Pickwick Street Fair which happens every year at the beginning of June. The fair invites local businesses, vendors, artists and musicians to sell their merchandise or to perform their work along Pickwick St., according to the fair’s website. The fair is a one day events and draws people from all over Springfield, highlighting the richness of the Rountree community and engaging the people who live there.

Rountree has been elevated from having a regular neighborhood feel to one that operates more like a small town. The small businesses operating next to the residential areas add their goods, services and special events to the uniqueness of the community, creating more engagement and life.