New Civil War Re-enactment Store Opens in Wildwood

Who knew a Midwestern gathering place for Civil War merchandise was right here in Wildwood?

Adler's Dry Goods was opened at 16953 Manchester Road by Civil War re-enactors who are residents of Marthasville, MO.

The store's manager, Rebecca Adler, said the store carries clothing from the 1700s, gifts, crafts, Civil War reproductions, knives, jewelry, furs, hats, hides, silver-plated dishes and porcelain sets.

"Our suppliers are from all over, and we do take consignment items from other re-enactors," she said.

Adler said her family believes they have the only such Civil War-themed store in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Customers have come from as far as Troy, MO, as well as Illinois and Minnesota.

She said her family often goes to Civil War re-enactment events in Texas, Kentucky, Louisiana and Illinois. They buy, sell and trade items with other like-minded enthusiasts; they started with a tent store.

The store owners came up with the name to evoke the old "dry goods" general stores that used to dot the countryside. 

"At the store, we carry items that are harder to take on the road," said Adler.

They have ball gowns, dresses and children's clothing from that historic era—which people have asked about renting for special events—but Adler said they have not started that aspect.

News of the store is word-of-mouth. She said the store does not have a website yet.

"But many people e-mail us, and we're always trying to get in new things to keep it interesting," she said.