Kismet Creative Center

Kismet Creative Center Record shop

We are located inside The Wink incubator in Dutchtown. After 4 years it became apparent we could no longer afford to keep the space open.

Kismet Creative Center started as a record store and art gallery best known for its use as a venue for small acts touring the country. Together, my partner and I provided a space to foster creative pursuits and support local artists. Approximately 2 years later, I came across a small record store not far from where Kismet used to be and found the owner in need of more stock. From there, I built a

friendship with the owners and began my consignment. Although it was a downsize from what Kismet used to be, it felt good to reconnect with my passion for music and be able to share that with the public, particularly on Cherokee Street. Kismet ran in that location from 2019-2023. In April, 2023, Kismet once again moved it's operation from Cherokee to Dutchtown, where our business currently resides. We are located inside of The Wink incubator space at 3302 Meramec. Some of what you will find in our store will be new or reissued shoegaze, psych-rock, library music and soundtracks, slowcore, strange or experimental releases, and indie albums. We pride ourselves on being more focused on what inspires us at any given moment rather than on a certain genre, and we hope you can get a taste of that passion when you come and shop our store. Now, we have access to a venue around the corner to our shop where we've begun the process of booking shows again. If you have records you're ready to part with, please come see us for cash or trade.

Stephen dropped by Kismet for the first time today. He walked away with one new and one used record: a copy of Music in ...
06/21/2026

Stephen dropped by Kismet for the first time today.

He walked away with one new and one used record: a copy of Music in the Key of Life by Stevie Wonder and a reissue of Albemarle Sound by The Ladybug Transistor—one of my favorite records from my college days.

We spent an hour or so talking music, the Record Collector Meetup, and a whole grab bag of other topics.

That's one of my favorite parts of running a record store. Someone comes in looking for records and leaves with a couple albums, a few recommendations, and hopefully the feeling that they've found a place they'll want to come back to.

Good dude. We appreciate his presence.

Rainy Sunday at Kismet. Some people don't like the rain. I've always been a fan. It creates a certain insulation from th...
06/21/2026

Rainy Sunday at Kismet.

Some people don't like the rain. I've always been a fan.

It creates a certain insulation from the outside world. The street gets quieter, the pace slows down, and somehow I find myself more connected to whatever record is spinning.

Today I'll definitely be spending some time with Images of Life by Ted Lucas—a record that's quickly becoming a store favorite. Six sides that drift between psychedelic folk, singer-songwriter reflections, and moments that feel almost yacht-adjacent.

I may end up making it a Psychedelic Sunday. I may just follow wherever the music wants to go.

Either way, if you're a rainy-day digger, stop by before 5 and spend some time with us.

Kismet — Where what's unexpected is the point.

Saturday at Kismet. Got off to a slower start than planned this morning. My alarm didn't cooperate, and I had a couple p...
06/20/2026

Saturday at Kismet.

Got off to a slower start than planned this morning. My alarm didn't cooperate, and I had a couple packages to ship before opening the shop.

Last night I caught a Synoptic Frequencies show, picked up a Marisa Anderson LP, and got to see some familiar faces. One person even recognized me as "Kismet" and mentioned the Water Damage record they'd picked up here. Moments like that always mean a lot.

It's unusually quiet on the street today, helped by the fact that our neighbors are closed. The calm feels right, though.

I'm taking the music in a stranger direction this afternoon. Started with Earth's Extra-Capsular Extraction EP in full, and where it goes from there is anyone's guess. Feeling weird today, in the best possible way.

Later it's back to the usual balancing act: laundry, mowing the lawn, and whatever else is waiting at home. Small business ownership rarely ends when the shop closes.

If you're looking to dig through some records, hear something unexpected, or just stop in and say hello, we're here until 5.

Friday at Kismet. It's Juneteenth, the post office is closed, and the temperature is back into the mid-80s. Normally I'd...
06/19/2026

Friday at Kismet.

It's Juneteenth, the post office is closed, and the temperature is back into the mid-80s.

Normally I'd be putting in an order. But it looks like its going to have to wait till Monday.

The speaker outside started glitching its way through an 80s Road Trip playlist, so I shut it down. Now the only music is inside, all the way at the back of The Wink, where it belongs.

Watered the plant. Put it back in the window.

Not sure what to expect rn.  Time will tell who's itching to pick up some records today.

Until then, I'll be cycling through whatever feels right: Lovesliescrushing, Rival Consoles, maybe some Telescopes to keep with the "dreamy-but-blown-out" vibe. 

A couple reminders:

• All shirts are $5 off
• Bargain bin records are now $2 each (down from $5)

If you're looking to add a few records to the collection without spending much, this is a good weekend to stop by.

Here until 5.

Kismet — Where what's unexpected is the point.

Thursday at Kismet.Seems extra cool for June.  Maybe rain. I've got the front door open and Eluvium is drifting through ...
06/18/2026

Thursday at Kismet.
Seems extra cool for June.  Maybe rain.

I've got the front door open and Eluvium is drifting through the back of the shop like a fog.

No big shipment this week.  Just records, quiet music, and a little time to think.

Next week might bring some city pop reissues—mostly some Anri. More on that when they're actually in hand.

Until then, I'm enjoying the calm before the next round of decisions, deliveries, appointments, invoices, lawn mowing, and everything else that comes with being a small business owner.

Open today. Music playing. Waiting to see what happens.

# KismetRecords



Last play on Super Soft Sunday.  Been too long since I pulled this one out.
06/14/2026

Last play on Super Soft Sunday. Been too long since I pulled this one out.

Super Soft Sunday at Kismet. Today we're taking it easy. Cathy Hamer. Margo Guryan. Ted Lucas. Haruomi Hosono's Tropical...
06/14/2026

Super Soft Sunday at Kismet.

Today we're taking it easy.

Cathy Hamer. Margo Guryan. Ted Lucas. Haruomi Hosono's Tropical Dandy. 
Numero Group's Soft Summer Breezes comp.  Maybe a few other records that feel like a comfortable chair, an open window, or a deep breath.

No event. No sale. No agenda.

Just a Sunday afternoon soundtracked by music that comforts the soul.

If you've been needing a quieter corner of the weekend, we're here from 12–5.

Kismet Records

Inside The Wink, all the way at the back.





Rainy Saturday at Kismet. Cycling through the dreamier new arrivals to match the weather. Lovesliescrushing. Hammock. Th...
06/13/2026

Rainy Saturday at Kismet.

Cycling through the dreamier new arrivals to match the weather.

Lovesliescrushing. Hammock. The Album Leaf.

Tidying the shop. The occasional cigarette. A moment taken to close my eyes and just listen.

I'm okay spending the afternoon discovering records.  You can too if you wanna.

Here till 5.

Arthur Russell still strikes me the way it did when he was on constant rotation in Denver, CO.  I get just whiff of him ...
06/12/2026

Arthur Russell still strikes me the way it did when he was on constant rotation in Denver, CO. I get just whiff of him and the loneliness returns, the yearning for friends returns, the slight sadness returns.

But it wasn't all like that. There was always a light at the end of the tunnel. There was always a potentional for a shift. So it was kinda sad. But also very hopeful.

I live in STL now. And that's not a bad thing. It just is. I've got my little record thing going (My Home Away from Home lol), a couple people I'm close with, pets.

I guess Arthur Russell will always be there for me, applying the salve for the wound I can't forget, the one that I hope ultimately heals. Until that happens--and probably long after--his music will remain very close to my heart.

That said, Kismet does have its very own Arthur Russell section for those of you who feel like deep diving or getting filled in as to why I still consider him to be the GOAT.

Open today till 5.

This week brought our Record Collectors Meetup at The Heavy Anchor. Lots of familiar faces and a few new ones showed up....
06/12/2026

This week brought our Record Collectors Meetup at The Heavy Anchor. Lots of familiar faces and a few new ones showed up.

Kismet sold some records. We talked shop, shared stories from the front lines, and turned each other on to music we might never have discovered otherwise.

It just goes to show: collecting records is still one of the best ways to meet interesting people.

Address

3302 Meramec Street
St. Louis, MO
63118

Opening Hours

Thursday 2pm - 5pm
Friday 11am - 5pm
Saturday 11am - 5pm
Sunday 12pm - 5pm

Telephone

+13035245729

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