Graffiti in St. Louis doesn’t usually extend to much more than nonsensical markings, that one guy’s YAKSAP tags and random expressions of love for Provel cheese.
So we were surprised to see some spray-painted markings on a crumbling downtown parking garage over the weekend that looked like they actually took some thought. What those thoughts were, there’s no telling. But it’s clear the artist behind the “Wonka” graffiti on this garage at North 6th and Pine Streets had some goal in mind.
Indeed, the sight of this artwork caused our minds to spiral much like this garage. How did they get “Wonka” placed in almost the exact same spot on all eight floors? Why are there arrows pointing up? Do golden tickets or oopma loopas (hopefully not of the Hugh Grant variety) await at the top? Could this be the film industry’s cheapest marketing ploy? Is a drug dealer selling chocolate rock* (see Urban Dictionary definition here) in the garage and calling themselves Wonka? How long has this been going on?
We did a little research and found a Google maps image of the garage at 600 Pine Street. The picture was taken about a year and a half ago. The Tortilla Grille, with a sign posted on its door, was already closed, but appeared far less neglected. And there were no “Wonka” scribblings on each floor. In fact, the garage appeared almost entirely devoid of graffiti.
So that got us thinking. What if the Wonka graffiti actually has some meaning? What if, like Willy Wonka, who watches with indifference as snotnosed children make mistake after mistake, the graffiti is meant to symbolize how no one is doing what needs to be done to save St. Louis from itself?
But then we stumbled upon another urban dictionary definition. One that makes much more sense, knowing St. Louis. And one that gives new meaning to the name WILLY Wonka (you can’t tell, but we’re winking). Click here to cut through our pearl clutching.
Sigh.
Yep, that’s probably it.
*not to be confused with this deliciousness.
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![This Used to Be: Mertz Cabin Now It's: Maryville University land Location: Town & Country, MO Conway Road is one of the coolest roads in St. Louis, and Harris digs into its history. "In 1961, the Religious of the Sacred Heart purchased the acreage between Conway Road and Interstate 40 for the new West County Campus of Maryville College. The college told the southern border it ifs property facing highway 40, including a log farmhouse built by nineteenth-century settlers Ludwig and Katherine Mertz, for development as the [Maryville Center] corporate park. The log home stood on the site while the office buildings of the corporate park rose above it." "The Ludwig and Katerine Mertz log house in its original setting on the Maryville campus. The original chinking between the logs is still visible on the end wall." Image courtesy of the St. Louis County Parks Department.](https://rftimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/mertz-cabin-on-original-site.webp)
