After 17 years serving elevated brew pub and wine bar fare in downtown St. Louis, Bridge Tap House & Wine Bar (1004 Locust) has changed concept. Owners Dave and Kara Bailey announced the news in an Instagram post on February 6, explaining that Bridge would cease operations as a restaurant and transition to an event venue, Bridge Private Event House.
Bridge’s last day of restaurant service was February 15.
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According to Dave Bailey, the decision reflects a desire to build upon the success of the restaurant group’s existing events business, which he notes is easier to plan around than fluctuating restaurant business.
“When we do [private events] at Bridge, which is a beautiful room and a great space for 20-60 people, we can staff it, and we know what to expect,” Dave says. “We want to drive revenue through that model. If we do one event per week—preferably two or more—then we are being more consistent with our staff and the building in general.”
Since 2012, events have been central to Baileys’ Restaurants, thanks to its catering outfit, The Fifth Wheel. In 2016, the group added the event venues Slate and Willow to its repertoire, with the former being adjacent to Bridge. The Baileys’ hope is to build upon the events business success at Bridge, which feels like a natural extension of what they offer.
“With Bridge, we share the wall with Willow, and when we’ve done big events down there like weddings, people would show up early to have cocktails at Bridge,” Dave says. “We want them to be sister spots because, in a way, they always have been.”
While Willow can accommodate roughly 200 guests, Bridge is a smaller space, seating up to 40 for a plated dinner, and 60 for cocktails. Dave notes that the design of the space means that even smaller parties, groups of 20, for instance, feel cozy and intimate at Bridge. He says Willow’s current catering offerings—ranging from barbecue and taco bars to formal plated dinners—will be available at Bridge, though he and the culinary team are working on adding more offerings that will cater to a range of tastes and events.
“People are still doing events; they still want to gather,” Dave says. “We still see great business at our restaurants Rooster and [Baileys’] Range, but we’re also seeing that people are gathering in different ways for different occasions. Events and restaurants are two different animals, and we’ve always wanted to be a part of both. Like always, we are trying to continue to adapt.”
The Backstory
The Baileys opened Bridge Tap House & Wine Bar in 2010 as a warm, community-focused spot that blended the ideas of a craft brewpub and wine bar, resulting in a must-visit destination for beverage enthusiasts. The food was an equal draw, featuring a well-executed seasonal American style menu that ranged from small plates to entrees. At the time it opened, Bridge was the Baileys’ third concept. It remained a constant as the Baileys’ restaurant brand grew and evolved—at its height, the group boasted Baileys’ Chocolate Bar, Small Batch, Baileys’ Range, Hugo’s, Knockout BBQ, three locations of Rooster, Bridge, and a robust catering business, as well as several pop-up style temporary concepts.
Now, the restaurant group is smaller, following the closure last year of Rooster in Clayton and the Midtown vegetarian spot Small Batch; it also faces two lawsuits related to unpaid rent. Bailey insists that the Bridge transition was not a financial decision but instead allows the company to focus on events, which has been a successful and consistent part of its business model. It also allows him to continue to invest in downtown, which he sees as a vital part of the St. Louis region.
“I continue to be bullish on downtown,” Bailey says. “We have organizations like Greater St. Louis, Inc. and Explore St. Louis that are trying to make sure we are represented on the national stage. This is great, and it’s important, but I’ve also always been a big proponent of local tourism. We need more of that. If you take your kids to a concert at Enterprise Center or a ballgame, stick around and have a milkshake or something to eat nearby. We need people who live in the metro area to come and hang out downtown.”
