Ste. Genevieve County: A great place to know your neighbors

Tom and Patricia Hooper are new to the Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, tourism scene. Transplants from Louisiana, Missouri, the two settled in Ste. Genevieve and opened the doors to their small business, ASL Pewter Foundry, on Jan. 25.

Tom and Patricia Hooper, owners of ASL Hooper Pewter Foundry in St. Genevieve, Missouri. (Laura Simon)

Tom and Patricia have worked with pewter, a malleable metal with which they can mold an array of items, for 37 and more than 20 years, respectively. They are proud of the business they have fostered, and work to highlight original creations of about 60 other artists.

Along with their new home and business came the community, which the Hoopers say has been supportive in every way imaginable.

"People are friendly; people are helpful," Patricia says.

Tom and Patricia Hooper, owners of ASL Hooper Pewter Foundry in St. Genevieve, Missouri. (Laura Simon)

The Hoopers have enjoyed getting to know their neighbors downtown. They appreciate the quaint nature of the town and being able to walk nearly everywhere downtown.

Tom and Pat Hooper are the owners of ASL Pewter in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. (Fred Lynch)

"It's very rural and it has a very rural feel to it," Tom says. "But we've met friends -- everyone is very welcoming and everybody works together."

As fans of history, the Hoopers fell in step with the community, which hosts war reenactments, rural heritage days and the Jour De Fete Festival every year. They have come to love Ste. Genevieve's vibrant small-town feel and don't see themselves moving anywhere else anytime soon.

"We purchased this building so we could retire here," Tom says.