What’s a Small Town Socialite, Anyway?

I can’t wait to share the full website experience once it launches on January 20, but in the meantime, this post will provide readers with a background on the site’s creator and why I created it.

First, who is the writer behind Small Town Socialite? It’s me, Amanda Bretz, and I’ve been a journalist for almost 20 years. I’ve written for print newspapers and magazines, as well as web-only news sites. I got my start in community journalism, writing about local businesses and doing profile pieces on interesting members of the community.

Over the past seven years or so, my writing has shifted to focus on food and beverage writing, along with some travel and lifestyle pieces. In 2022 I moved to Franklin County and started looking for lifestyle magazines or food-focused publications that I could freelance for. I was disappointed to find there weren’t any.

What I did find is that there are newspapers in the area, and while they share dining features and some lifestyle articles, that’s not their sole focus. There’s also lifestyle magazines in St. Louis and Jefferson City, and those publications will occasionally write about Washington, but they don’t often cover events or the small, locally owned restaurants, breweries, and coffee shops in towns like Union, St. Clair, Villa Ridge, or Sullivan.

That’s the gap I hope Small Town Socialite can fill. I envision sharing roundup articles about the different events happening throughout Franklin County, as well as focusing on short reviews and features about the many wonderful locally-owned restaurants in the area. I believe in spending your money where you live and supporting the small business owners who live in your own community.

Often when we want to have a celebratory dinner or get out of the house, we think of those bigger restaurants and events that happen in the city, and there’s nothing wrong with heading into the city to do things. But sometimes we all need to be reminded of how much there is to see, do, eat, and drink, right here in Franklin County.

And, that’s why I named my website Small Town Socialite. In almost every friend group I’ve had since my teen years, there’s always been that one friend who just knows what’s happening. She’s telling us what we should do that weekend, the best spot to grab coffee on the way, and where to eat dinner afterwards.

Somehow, she’s always in the know. And with this website, I hope I can keep you in the know.