R.J. Hartbeck
Photographer
R.J. Hartbeck is a commercial photographer based in St. Louis. His brand of storytelling is informed by his love for street photography and the belief that photos should be used as a way to connect with one another. His work has been featured both online and in print for various brands around the country. A passionate advocate for entrepreneurship, he enjoys helping people bring their new projects and ideas to life. Favorite neighborhood: Tower Grove East. Learn more at rjhartbeck.com.
![R.J. Hartbeck](jpg/hartbeck_r.j._photographer.jpg)
Contributions
A Healing Helpline
St. Louis Queer+ Support Helpline offers identity-affirming resources for the region’s LGBTQIA+ community.
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A Coffee Culture
At Brew Tulum, Laura McNamara and Alberto Juarez bring a deep-dive into Mexican coffee culture to the Delmar Maker District.
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A New View
As president and CEO of the Missouri Historical Society, Jody Sowell focuses on telling stories about St. Louis’ past that…
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Outdoor
Enthusiast
With Ope Outdoors, Juno Musonda is spreading love for the Midwest’s parks and natural attractions through merchandise, park cleanups and…
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Trading Up
As part of the Missouri Works Initiative, the Building Union Diversity program is expanding access to careers in construction.
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Free Spirits
St. Louis’ Switchgrass Spirits is carving its own path with its grain-to-glass whiskey and brandy.
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2022 Year In Review
Take a look back at this year's STLMade stories.
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A Broad Canvas
At Onyx Dagger in Lafayette Square, Valencia Miller combines fine art with tattoo art, supporting local painters in St. Louis…
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Sustaining Style
With May’s Place, Katie May highlights the merits of shopping vintage – both for you and for the planet.
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Float On
From the Boathouse to the Mississippi, Big Muddy Adventures offers St. Louisans a chance to connect with the region's waterways.
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Up, Up and Away
The Great Forest Park Balloon Race, one of the country’s longest-running balloon races, celebrates 50 years of making St. Louisans…
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Raised on Glazed
Syeeda Aziz-Morris is carrying on the family tradition of donut-making at Pharaoh's Donuts in Downtown and the Central West End.
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Nerds with Heart
In St. Peters, PokéNerds store owners Brian and Valeria Trull have built a community for Pokémon fans, who are in…
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Freedom Through Food
Urban farmer Tyrean “Heru” Lewis brings fresh produce to underserved communities and advocates for more equitable growing practices across St.…
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Beyond the Bag
Through her luxury handbag line Lux & Nyx, Lisa Hu seeks to empower women through functional, sustainable bags that marry…
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A Powerful Lift
As the executive director of Paralympic operations at Logan University, Kelley Humphries-Mascoll is advancing the Paralympic movement in St. Louis…
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Wicked ‘Wiches
Sugarwitch’s Martha Bass and Sophie Mendelson craft wickedly good ice cream sandwiches and frozen treats in Botanical Heights and Carondelet.
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Climbing High
With So iLL, the Chancellor family has created an aesthetically pleasing, environmentally conscious experience for the modern urban rock climber,…
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Historical
Perspective
With unique bus and walking tours throughout the metro area, Amanda Clark helps people see St. Louis differently.
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Snacking for Change
With Airly crackers, a team from Brentwood-based Post Holdings has created a tasty way for people to combat climate change.
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Nothing Little About It
From rural China to Fox Park, Lona Luo has come a long way in her journey to become one of…
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2021 Year In Review
Take a look back at this year's STLMade stories.
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A Home for Art
In Gravois Park, St. Louis Art Place Initiative has completed the first of 20 units of single family housing at…
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Tastes of St. Louis
Bringing together more than a dozen kitchens with varied cuisines, City Foundry STL’s Food Hall draws St. Louisans to Midtown.
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Advocating for Inclusion
With the Starkloff Disability Institute, Colleen Starkloff works to make the world a place where people of all abilities feel…
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Homegrown
Market
Local farmers and entrepreneurs build their businesses and a strong community through the support of St. Louisans at the Tower…
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Small Park, Big Impact
Through Pocketparks, Samantha Lee Smugala is bringing art, activation and opportunity to transform vacant lots into community gathering spaces.
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Building Space to Grow
Jason Deem opened St. Louis’ first coworking space, Nebula, more than 10 years ago, and continues to restore and develop…
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Be(er) Well
With WellBeing Brewing's craft nonalcoholic beers and waters, Jeff Stevens is helping reframe the stigma around sobriety.
![White man holding a beverage standing on a rooftop.](jpg/stlmade_wellbeingbrew-1063-992x992.jpg)
Security Solution
Led by CEO Ron Indeck, Olivette-based Q-Net Security is protecting government organizations and businesses across the nation from online threats…
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Natural Wonders
St. Louisans find peace and purpose in parks and on trails throughout the region.
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Organic Growth
In Wright City, Maria Marshall leads certified organic Marshall Family Farms in practicing regenerative agriculture, raising heritage poultry and producing…
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Time for a Revolution
Saint Louis Story Stitchers brings young people together to express themselves through art and create social change.
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Transforming Tea
Lisa Govro, through her company Big Heart Tea Co., is not only revolutionizing how tea tastes, but ensuring it’s ethically…
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The Power of Plants
Mónica Carlsen, a Venezuelan immigrant and plant biologist with the Missouri Botanical Garden, is inspiring the next generation of budding…
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Health and Healing
Naturopathic physician Jamila Owens-Todd extends her mission of healing further into the community through her ownership of the Golden Grocer…
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A Conscious Cup of Joe
Inspired by the coffee they grew up drinking in their native Honduras, Patrick and Spencer Clapp are elevating the St.…
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Solving Challenges
Biotech startup PercayAI and Washington University are collaborating to find treatments for COVID-19, through the work of people like computational…
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Bringing Love to the Table
Shana Alicia Poole-Jones started her Grab and Go Table to give food and supplies to folks in need, and keeps…
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A Hearty Dish
Welcome Neighbor STL's drive-thru supper clubs are a lifeline for refugees.
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Community Game Changer
Entrepreneur Julian Keaton aims to foster community engagement and move St. Louis forward through “Dimensions,” a new interactive geolocation mobile…
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Smooth Moves
Angela Zeng didn’t listen to critics who told her to start her line of superfood drinks, Karviva Beverages, elsewhere; after…
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Bridging the Gap
The Foodshed.io app links small family farms to grocery stores so consumers can buy more local produce and farmers can…
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Brewing Community
St. Louis brewers find new ways to connect with beer lovers and continue their businesses during the pandemic.
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St. Louis, Together
How #314Together transformed from a pandemic relief Facebook group to an inspiring movement supporting local small businesses.
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Period Positive
Even during a pandemic, the St. Louis Alliance for Period Supplies is getting essential period products to people in need.
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Power Drive
28 communities around the region joined together to donate nearly 15,000 pounds of food and personal care items to the…
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Personal Growth
Home gardens flourish in quarantine, providing floral beauty, nutritious food and positive mental health benefits.
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Growing Together
EarthDance Organic Farm School Hosts Pay-What-You-Can Drive-Thru Farm Stand in Ferguson.
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Coffee for a Cause
How Sump Coffee is Fueling Health Care Providers on the Front Lines.
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Superhero Delivery
Martin Casas of Apotheosis Comics is making sure that St. Louis residents have plenty of comic books and drinks to…
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Puppies in a Pandemic
What happens to unadopted pets during a crisis? St. Louis stepped up to foster them - including one family taking…
![woman holds two puppies](jpg/stlmade_puppies_2020-3383-992x992.jpg)
4 Hands For Hands
4 Hands Brewery adds a new product to its beer and spirit offerings – hand sanitizer.
![4 hands van delivering hand sanitizer on market st](jpg/074-4hands_handsanitizer_rj-2603-992x992.jpg)
Creating Through Crisis
Mee Jey, an immigrant artist from India, tells community stories through her art in St. Louis and abroad.
![MeeJey](jpg/056-meejey_rj_3k9a6811-992x992.jpg)
‘Round and ‘Round
For 50 years, Mathew and Niah Foggy have built community while circling the roller rink at Skate King.
![Man and woman standing at skate rental counter](jpg/030-skate_king_rj_1598-992x992.jpg)
Home(Town) Brew
Here in one of the nation's top beer cities, St. Louis brewers are shaping the industry's future.
![A man pulls a beer tap in a brewery](jpg/051-beer_rj_millpond_3k9a6325-992x992.jpg)
That’s a Ringer
Home to the National Horseshoe Pitchers Hall of Fame, St. Charles County has become one of the country’s top regions…
![Quail Ridge Horseshoe Club](jpg/060-horseshoes_rj_3k9a2117-992x992.jpg)
Spilling the Beans
Estie Cruz-Curoe’s Cuban-style black beans at del Carmen Foods are filling a delicious niche in the St. Louis food scene.
![del Carmen beans header](jpg/046-blackbeans_rj_3k9a7212-992x992.jpg)
Autumn Action
The St. Louis economy gets a yearly boost from an array of spectacular fall sights and cool-weather activities, including Oktoberfest.
![Couple walks one of the paved trails of Cliff Cave Park, in South St. Louis County.](jpg/cliffcave_header-copy-1-992x992.jpg)
Shifting Gears
Mike Weiss believes that St. Louis could become one of the hottest cycling destinations in the country -- and the…
![Mike Weiss of Big Shark](jpg/043-cycling_rj_3k9a4782-2-992x992.jpg)
Fresh From the Vine
Tony White’s locally grown tomatoes are the not-so-secret ingredients in many St. Louis chefs’ acclaimed dishes.
![tony white holding box of fruit](jpg/041-tony_farm_rj_3k9a0591-992x992.jpg)
Puppy Power
Fitness trainer Kim Gray built her wellness business for St. Louisans who love spending time with their pets.
![Kim Gray and her poodle Oscar](jpg/040-dog-yoga_rj_3k9a0716-992x992.jpg)
Night Moves
Ranked No. 1 in nightlife, St. Louis is drawing attention for its fun, affordable ways to hit the town.
![Nightlife - We Love St. Louis sign](jpg/039-nightlife_rj_nightlife_003_edits_011-992x992.jpg)
Career Center
New industries in St. Louis are helping to fuel Missouri’s rise in employment opportunities.
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The Business of Basketball
Khalia Collier has transformed the St. Louis Surge into both a competitive team and an economic driver.
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Making
Connections
Through Human Spaces, Lisa Rokusek is exploring how people can learn from each other with empathy and purpose.
![Lady](jpg/024_humanspaces6645-992x992.jpg)
Sweet Dreams
La Patisserie Chouquette co-owner and executive pastry chef Simone Faure has become the maven of macarons in St. Louis.
![baker](jpg/baker-992x853.jpg)
Masters of Light
Just as their great-great grandfather did, Aaron Frei and his siblings are coloring St. Louis with hand-crafted stained glass.
![Emil Frei](jpg/025_emilfrei_stainedglass-129-992x992.jpg)
Midwest Millennials
Post-grads are learning that St. Louis’s low cost of living means more money for business and leisure.
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Moving Forward
Historic St. Louis gems are earning new appreciation for marrying the past with the future.
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Education for All
Through EdHub STL, Sherita Love helps educators shake up their classrooms and eliminate barriers for students.
![Sherita Love Stands](jpg/013_edhubstl_51351-992x992.jpg)
Planting Seeds
Angi Taylor found meaningful work in St. Louis’s growing agriculture industry.
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Game On
With dozens of studios, courses and events, St. Louis is becoming the nation’s next video game development hot spot.
![Graphite Lab employees](jpg/003_gamedevelopers_newhero-v2-992x992.jpg)