The area gets its name from the streetcar turnaround, or loop, formerly located in the area. Most of the attractions are located along Delmar Boulevard, a major east-west thoroughfare that continued east to downtown Saint Louis.
Major institutions on the Loop include the Community Music School, formerly affiliated with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra but now associated with Webster University; the Craft Alliance, which is particularly noted for its pottery studios and classes; and Blueberry Hill, a pub and restaurant that served as the engine for the revival of the Loop beginning in the 1970s.
The Loop is the home of the St. Louis Walk of Fame, a series of brass plaques embedded in the sidewalk commemorating famous St. Louisians, including musician Chuck Berry, bridge-builder James Eads, and sexologists Masters and Johnson.
The Loop traditionally ended at the Saint Louis City line. Recently, however, through the redevelopment efforts of Joe and Linda Edwards, the owners of Blueberry Hill, the Loop has extended eastward, over the city line. The Saint Louis Regional Arts Commission completed its new headquarters on Delmar in 2003, with a facility containing performance and office spaces for various theater groups. The Pageant, located across Delmar from the arts commission, has become Saint Louis' main venue for small popular musical performances, featuring artists from rap, rock, and country, including Saint Louisians Chuck Berry and Nelly.
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