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On January 3, Los Punk finally opened its doors to the public. That evening followed a four-and-a-half-year process of building out a former women’s clothing store, located in the heart of Cherokee’s continually-evolving nightlife-and-arts district at 2709 Cherokee. As luck would have it, the timing for co-owner B.T. Thomas and his partner Leslie Peters could’ve lined up a bit better. Immediately upon opening, Los Punk suffered a knotty plumbing issue, tied to an outrageously chilly cold snap.
It was a tough way to debut this 1,500-square-foot space. But after the years of waiting, Thomas is more than happy to finally have his concept up-and-running. Everything’s fixed, the lights are on, the door sign says “Open.”
“It’s gotten kinda rowdy in here a couple of times,” Thomas says. “It hasn’t been bad.”
An interesting blend of concepts greet visitors to Los Punk, who enter the long, shotgun venue through a pair of decorated front windows. Formerly retail display spaces, they’re colorful reminders that you are entering a truly different kind of room. That’s definitely proven by the Los Punk bar, a 16-by-six foot space that contains not only the bar’s beer-and-liquor selection, but also the club’s compact kitchen. Thomas (right) says that he thinks of the place as serving “Cherokee street food,” which he’d love to serve up right on the sidewalk, if he only he was allowed to do so.
Instead, patrons come in, immediately faced with the three-to-five menu items offered daily, displayed via a huge chalkboard. They then order from the bar, where the food’s cooked to order.
Thomas says that he pulls from a variety of influences, many of them international and that “I kind just think it up in my head each day. It’s whatever strikes me. We made a lot of gumbo and jambalaya the first week, because it’s been so cold outside. I went to school for anthropology, studying about cultures. When I started working in bars and restaurants, I always wondered why these foods came here, how different countries could come together (through cuisine).”
During Los Punk’s long gestation period, people on the block were hearing that a “punk rock/barbecue” concept was the expected norm. And barbecue will be part of the mix, as Thomas works with a double smoker and grill in the expansive patio out back. Sandwiches and tacos will be staples, though Thomas isn’t wanting to directly compete with the neighborhood’s Mexican fare. Instead, he want to complement what’s already in place.
And to that end, both he and Peters are curious about the next arrivals on the block, as well as those who’ve emerged even in the past few weeks. Recently, The Whiskey Ring opened; without a kitchen, patrons at that bar have been using Los Punk for carryout. Directly across the street, Melt has moved onto the block, after a short run in the Ivory Triangle; they’ve also been mixing more live music into their programming, adding another element to their breakfast-all-day approach. A block west, new neighbors Yaqui’s and Craft Art Bar are racing to open before winter’s end. It’s an interesting time for all the new operators.
Asked about this, Thomas is straightforward in assessing the growth, saying that “I’m all for it. As Leslie says, ‘a high tide carries all ships.’ But we might be at the limit. We might be saturated now.”
Thomas feels that he and his small staff can carry through, thanks to the food, the St. Louis-centric drinks selection (lots of Schlafly’s and AB’s are found here) and the vibe.
Beyond the saloon-like touches and the rock’n’roll posters, the most intriguing thing about the room is the set-up of a small drumkit and a guitar-with-amp, there for anyone to play.
He says that the comfortable approach comes partially imported from Texas, where Thomas has always enjoyed “the West Alabama Ice House. It’s in Houston, on West Alabama Street. It’s a freestanding building with a garage door that they flip open. It’s just awesome. In St. Louis you can’t do that, especially in the winter. But it’s a Texas bar and they drink Lone Stars and park a taco truck outside.
If I can, I’d bring a little bit of that feel here. The whole thing about us is that it’s almost like being in someone’s house. But it’s like they’re at my house and they’re giving me money, not just sitting around my kitchen, eating for free.”
Thomas says that he stayed motivated through those four years of build out, self-financing the space by working in virtually every kitchen capacity (from dishwasher to line cook and more) at places like the Sidney Street Cafe and the Schlafly Tap Room. Key to that motivation was being able to call the shots in his own room, after working at multiple places both here and in Ohio. In a building owned by the Casa Loma’s Pat Brannon, sharing a wall with a car stereo dealer, he thinks that he has exactly the space to make his mark.
“I was bartending and managing nightclubs, working ‘til 5 in the morning, hearing ‘Atomic Dog’ every night,” he says. “I wanted to go into the back, so I got a job as a dishwasher and worked my way up to chef. Now I feel like I can get in front of people again.”
Even with his business (left) now open, he really feels that the true debut will come during the neighborhood’s Cinco de Mayo celebration.
“I’ve been down here, working on this building for four years,” he says. “I’ve missed out on being part of four Cinco de Mayo’s. I’ve been watching this thing grow and now I want to get in on the action.”
Los Punk 2709 Cherokee 314-932-5411 Tuesday-Sunday, 6 p.m. - 1:30 a.m.
