In a time not so far away, peacock feathers dress the walls of a late-night diner, where breakfast, burgers, and pies are served atop an aluminum countertop illuminated with blues, oranges, and greens—the perfect retreat after a night out on the Delmar Loop.
Such a café isn’t open yet, but that’s what developer Joe Edwards envisions for his latest endeavor, the Peacock Loop Diner, slated to open next August.
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“Having a diner that’s open 24 hours will make the Loop a true 24-hour neighborhood,” Edwards says. “People have been asking for it for years.”
The Duke of Delmar, of course, is no stranger to rolling out new concepts in University City. “I just try to find the next thing to add and make it one-of-a-kind,” he says.
One-of-a-kind is exactly what he has in mind for the Peacock Loop Diner. “I wanted to pick a name that people could relate to,” he says. “People from all over Asia, America, and Africa know what a peacock is, and everybody likes them—I don’t think anyone has a bad thing to say about a peacock.”
With display cases exhibiting Edwards’ longtime collection of peacock memorabilia—jewelry, figurines, clocks—and an aluminum bar that lights up with the colors of a peacock’s flamboyant tail. The diner will offer all-day and all-night breakfast, traditional diner food, and even international fare. That’s not to mention a selection of craft brews and wine. And in the same building, Global Foods Market will fulfill the need for a grocery store in the area.
The two businesses are part of an $80 million retail and student apartment development comprising five buildings on a 4.4-acre lot. The complex, set to accommodate approximately 600 undergraduate students and currently under construction, will be called The Lofts of Washington University. And true to the colorful atmosphere, it will be decorated with a mural by local artist Peat Wollaeger.
