Renderings courtesy of SPACE Architecture+ Design
When SLM first caught a glimpse of a proposed new building on a wedge-shaped piece of property at the eastern end of The Grove, we thought that the rendering–an angular white edifice resembling a land-locked yacht—was the daydream of some madcap architect, the brick-and-mortar equivalent of a concept car that would never get built.
It so happens that the building designers were the crackerjack team from SPACE Architecture + Design (whose offices are located just up the street), and the clients were Brad Merten and Brandon Holzhueter, owners of twin restaurant concepts Narwhal’s Crafted and Loaded Elevated Nachos.
The partners initially purchased the property “just looking for a place to park some vehicles,” Merten says. “It went from us acquiring a parking space to expanding our entire brand.”
When they discussed the project with SLM earlier this year, they had just closed on the triangular piece of property bounded by Chouteau and Vandeventer. “It’s exactly where we want to be,” Merten says. “We feel that with all that’s happening nearby—City Foundry, all of the new housing, the bike trails—that part of Vandeventer will be where the action is for the next several years.”
Tom Niemeier, principal at SPACE, says the site has been an eyesore for years. “They [Merten and Holzhueter] considered renovated the existing building, which was in bad shape,” Niemeier explains. “We drew up a plan but concluded that idea was never going to dramatically improve that plot of ground, so we proposed scraping the site and starting with something completely new.”
Renderings courtesy of SPACE Architecture+ Design
SPACE designed a dramatic structure that resembled a giant ship, replete with sweeping decks and porthole-style windows, and with its “hull” nestled snugly inside the wedge-shaped property. The collective reasoning was that the so-called “Gateway to the Grove” deserved nothing less.
“Brandon and I were almost scared to get bids on a building that looked like that,” Merten says. But the numbers came in, and, as NextSTL reports today, the partners were able to nudge the throttle forward. Merten says they’re still going through the approval process, but progress is being made.
“A lot of people are talking about the project now,” he says. “Everyone says it's a great use of an odd-shaped space, but nothing’s officially official.
“We’re trying to create this landmark on this prominent corner, as is SPACE,” he continues. “They’ve helped establish the Narwhal’s brand, so this project is very near and dear to them. It’s their crown jewel, too, especially with their offices being so close by.”
Courtesy Narwhal's
The business began in 2016, when Merten and Holzhueter decided to put a high-end spin on frozen cocktails by opening Narwhal’s Crafted in midtown St. Louis. A second location, at the Streets of St. Charles, followed three years later. In early 2021, they repeated the process with another popular staple—nachos—and launched Loaded Elevated Nachos next store to Narwhal’s St. Charles location. “We didn’t create the frozen drink, but we did our best to elevate it,” Merten told SLM at the time. “We followed the same premise for nachos.”
Narwhal’s will occupy two-thirds of the new building, including the entire second floor, which includes a huge wraparound deck. “We designed the entire building to be contextually aware,” Niemeier says. “It screens the view and the acoustics from the traffic on the south and opens up the views—to the city and The Grove—on the other sides. When you enter from the east, you’ll immediately see the Chroma building on the right and our building on the left. It’ll be a beautiful transition entering The Grove.”
Renderings courtesy of SPACE Architecture+ Design
Courtesy Loaded Elevated Nachos
Banh Mi Nachos
Loaded Elevated Nachos will have the smaller footprint and be located on the ground floor. Narwhal’s customers will be able to use QR codes to order nachos from anywhere in the building. “Two businesses, two identities, but plenty of synergy,” as Merten puts it.
He says they’ve outgrown the flagship Narwhal’s space (a.k.a. “Nar One”), which is located a few blocks to the north, and that its future use is yet to be determined. “It accomplished what we needed it to over the five years,” he says, “and we want to keep it. Nar One is homey and quaint and has its own vibe. It might become an event space or a testing ground to try out new ideas and products.”
He adds that the proposed future space is "bigger, badder, and better, but there are people who may not like that, so the old place may morph into an insider-y, same-as-it-was Narwhal’s underground. We’re still thinking that through.”
Merten says putting a timeline on the new building is also premature. “The meeting and the approval process is slower than it used to be,” he says. “We purchased the property in November, and although we’ve improved the site to make it more accessible, we’re not even close to breaking ground on the building. Once we do that, it could be nine to 12 months.”
When SLM talked to Merten earlier this year, he referred to the project as “a very expensive parking lot.” Six months later, he says, "Nothing has changed. Our old frozen drinks truck, Norbert, is there, along with some other equipment. But once we get underway, we know we’ll make a big splash.”
Renderings courtesy of SPACE Architecture+ Design
