For Tai Davis, Grand Center has “limitless potential”

Tai Davis, St. Louis’ self-described “Black Willy Wonka,” has lived throughout the metro region—University City, Tower Grove, downtown—but there’s something about his current Grand Center address that feels especially like home.

“What drew me to this area is my upbringing and my lineage,” says Davis. “I grew up being very fostered in food, arts, music, and culture, so I wanted to be somewhere that surrounded me in all of that. Here in Grand Center, we have all of these amazing restaurants, venues, and institutions. It really fosters community.”

For six years, Davis has lived in this arts-fueled slice of the city. Over the next year, he’s planning to add his own footprint with his forthcoming restaurant, Lineage. He’s already done pop-ups throughout the neighborhood to share a taste of what’s to come.

“There’s limitless potential here,” he says. “This area’s position between downtown and the county makes it the natural epicenter of the St. Louis region. Developers have seen this, and organizations like the Kranzberg [Arts Foundation] want to bring in places that give purpose and meaning to the community in terms of art and culture. Right now, it’s still affordable for small businesses to open here; I think it’s important for them to get in now and establish themselves so they can get a foothold in the area.”

Davis points to several nearby developments that make the neighborhood feel as though it’s on the precipice of a tidal wave of expansion. In addition to nearby Energizer Park and City Foundry, he’s excited about Powell Hall’s renovation, as well as plans for a reimagined Music at the Intersection (MATI). These institutional developments are enhancing the buzz from nearby restaurants.

“The food scene here is definitely growing,” says Davis. “Places like Grand Mediterranean, Medina, and Mayo Ketchup are adding some great ethnic food to the area. They’re adding to places like Sophie’s Artist Lounge—which blends food, beverage, art, and music—The Dark Room at Grandel, Egg, Kain Tayo, High Low, Work & Leisure, and, of course, David Kirkland’s Turn, which has been a pinnacle and staple of the area that made people realize you could have a successful eatery here.”

What most impresses Davis is how these neighborhood stalwarts and large institutions work in concert with the newcomers, small businesses, and entrepreneurs who are bringing fresh energy that infuses the area with the cosmopolitan vibe of a downtown and the connected feel of a small town.

“I trust my heart and my intuition,” Davis says. “I know potential when I see it, and there is so much potential here. It’s up to us, as a community, to see and then realize what that potential can be.”