CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for gift, novelty and souvenir stores in St. Louis, MO-IL
Gift, novelty and souvenir stores in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area: 128 establishments in 2023, the local area codes, and what phone service costs a 9-person team.
- Establishments
- 128CBP 2023
- Employees
- 1,141mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 4.6U.S. 5.6
- Rank
- 26th of 602areas by count
Gift, novelty and souvenir stores in St. Louis, MO-IL by the numbers
There were 128 gift, novelty and souvenir stores in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 453220, Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores). Together they reported 1,141 mid-March employees and $23.5 million of payroll for the year. That ranks 26th of the 602 metro and micropolitan areas where Census published a count for this industry.
With 2.8 million residents in the Census 2024 estimate, that is 4.6 gift, novelty and souvenir stores per 100,000 people, 18.1% below the national rate of 5.6. Establishments average 8.9 employees, 31.9% above the U.S. average of 6.8. Payroll per employee comes to $20,610, 19.3% below the national $25,533.
| Measure | St. Louis, MO-IL | Missouri | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 128 | 339 | 18,896 |
| Mid-March employees | 1,141 (moderate noise) | 2,706 | 127,699 |
| Annual payroll | $23,516,000 (moderate noise) | $62,606,000 | $3,260,545,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 8.9 | 8.0 | 6.8 |
| Payroll per employee | $20,610 | $23,136 | $25,533 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 4.6 | 5.4 | 5.6 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at gift, novelty and souvenir stores in St. Louis, MO-IL
Of the gift, novelty and souvenir stores in St. Louis, MO-IL that had employees in March 2023, 40.6% had fewer than five (the U.S. share is 55.8%). 60.2% had fewer than ten. When a business has only a few people, whoever is free answers the phone, and calls that arrive while everyone is busy go to voicemail unless they are routed somewhere else.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 52 | 40.6% | 55.8% |
| 5–9 employees | 25 | 19.5% | 21.9% |
| 10–19 employees | 40 | 31.3% | 17.4% |
| 20–49 employees | 8 | 6.3% | 4.2% |
| 50 or more employees | 3 | 2.3% | 0.7% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Calls a gift shop in St. Louis, MO-IL has to catch
Gift shops take calls about stock, holds and gift wrapping, with seasonal peaks. Quick answers help capture holiday sales.
Calls a gift shop in St. Louis, MO-IL might handle in a typical week include:
- A customer calls to hold an item.
- A customer calls about holiday hours.
- A customer calls to ask about a specific item.
Calls after closing time
After-hours calls are mostly hours questions.
Callata transcribes voicemail and triages it for urgency, so the first callback in the morning can go to the caller who needs it most.
Callata vs. per-seat pricing for gift, novelty and souvenir stores in St. Louis, MO-IL
The average gift shop in St. Louis, MO-IL has 8.9 employees, so a 9-person team is a reasonable benchmark. Priced per seat, 9 users would run $270.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $224.55 on Ooma Office Pro (month-to-month list prices, checked September 28, 2026). On Callata the same 9 people cost $179.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $1,092. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $179.00 | $2,148.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $171.00 | $2,052.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $207.00 | $2,484.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $224.55 | $2,694.60 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $243.00 | $2,916.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $270.00 | $3,240.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Getting a local number in St. Louis, MO-IL
NANPA records place the exchanges of the area's named cities and towns in 8 area codes. 314 has the most, with 723 of 1,483 exchanges (49%). Callata's plan includes up to 3 local numbers; you can pick them in the area codes your customers recognize, subject to carrier inventory, or port the number you already have for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 314 | 723 | Central | 1947 | 557 |
| 618 | 324 | Central | 1947 | 730 |
| 636 | 308 | Central | 1999 | none |
| 557 | 71 | Central | 2022 | 314 |
| 730 | 30 | Central | 2023 | 618 |
| 217 | 14 | Central | 1947 | 447 |
| 573 | 11 | Central | 1996 | 235 |
| 447 | 2 | Central | 2021 | 217 |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
Setting up Callata for a gift shop in St. Louis, MO-IL
Callata Office costs $99 per month for up to 5 people, and each additional user is $20 a month. That covers up to 3 local numbers, calling from a browser or your cell, transcribed voicemail, recorded calls with AI summaries, after-hours routing and E911 on each number.
If you already have a number in St. Louis, MO-IL, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many gift, novelty and souvenir stores are there in St. Louis, MO-IL?
Census County Business Patterns counted 128 gift, novelty and souvenir stores in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area in 2023. They employed 1,141 people in mid-March.
What does a business phone system cost for a 9-person gift shop?
At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 9 users cost $270.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $224.55 on Ooma Office Pro. On Callata, $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user, the same team pays $179.00.
What area code should a gift shop in St. Louis, MO-IL use?
Area code 314 has the most assigned exchanges among the area's named places, followed by 618 and 636. If you already have a local number, you can port it to Callata for free.
Can an AI receptionist answer calls for a gift shop?
Yes. Callata's optional AI agents can answer when the team is busy or closed, take a message, text, email or transfer the call. They disclose that they are AI and are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute.