The Commons at Armory STL opens December 16

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Courtesy of The Armory

After much anticipation, Armory STL (3660 Market) in Midtown will reopen to the public on Friday, December 16, at 4 p.m. It will mark a new chapter in the building's long history, after undergoing a multi-million-dollar restoration led by Brick + Bev, a Green Street Real Estate Ventures affiliate. The December “First Friday” opening, with live music from Up All Night STL, marks Phase 1 of the entertainment destination’s revitalization which is being billed as "The Biggest Bar in St. Louis."

The Concept

Courtesy of The Armory

Originally designed and built for the 138^th Infantry of the Missouri National Guard, the 250,000-square-foot complex once housed a swimming pool, locker rooms, and wooden tennis courts—the same courts where a young Arthur Ashe practiced after moving to St. Louis. The Grateful Dead also played two shows in the historic space back in 1968, and Ike and Tina Turner also took the stage there.

It’s fitting, then, that the renovated Armory STL will harken back to its storied past with its new offerings. Five additional venues within the complex are slated to open next spring, including the St. Louis Tennis Hall of Fame, which will pay homage to the tennis great, among others. The venue will also have a 60-foot stage for concerts, which will host both local and national touring acts. The six acres of flexible indoor space will also include six bars (with more than 70 tap handles), 40 interactive games, dozens of TV screens, VIP event spaces, and a two-story slide.

The Menu

Courtesy of The Armory STL

The Commons is the first kitchen to open in the space. Chef Brandon Powell, a St. Louis native who spent the past 18 years in Los Angeles, where he was an operating partner at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, recently moved back to take the position of director of culinary. Powell jokes that it was more like moving to the building itself than to St. Louis, given how much time he’s been spending at the space in preparation for the mid-December opening. 

The expansive menu includes paninis, burgers, tacos, brats, wings, salads, toasted ravioli, and nacho-style “boards,” such as the Carne Asada Chip Board (pictured below).

Powell is also excited about the relationships with local vendors. For instance, the menu will feature barbecue sauce and coleslaw from Pappy’s, brats from G&W, bacon mac 'n' cheese cheddar bites from Louisa’s, and ice cream from City Scoops. The menu also includes breakfast items, such as a scrambled eggs and chorizo panini, in anticipation of a late-night crowd that might be noshing into the early morning hours, with the space staying open until 2 a.m. 

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Courtesy of The Armory STL

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Among the offerings:

• Armory burger: smoked bacon, white cheddar, mozzarella cheese bites, caramelized onions, and bacon-bourbon jam (pictured above)
• Basket of French fries: plain, ranch dusted, or Tuscan (thyme, sage, rosemary, parmesan) with a “loaded” option of cheese, bacon, and chives (pictured above)
• Cubano panini: slow-roasted pork, smoked ham, Swiss, pickles, and yellow mustard
• Veggie taco: roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, avocado, pickled onions, avocado yogurt sauce
• BBQ wings: Pappy’s Hoodoo sauce, served with celery and a choice of ranch or blue cheese
• PFT Bowl: quinoa, salad greens, raisins, sunflower seeds, and roasted sweet potatoes
• Italian-style T-ravs: meat and cheese filled raviolis, mozzarella, tomatoes, black olives, banana peppers, green onions, and alfredo sauce
• Diablo chicken chip board: chips, buffalo pulled chicken, black beans, pico de gallo, lettuce, pickled red onion, queso, sour cream, and guacamole

Everything on the menu will be made in house, Powell notes, except the buns and crinkle French fries. While the menu is meat heavy, there are a number of vegetarian options. Powell is also considering gluten-free and vegan options in the future.

Upcoming Events

Like many St. Louisans, Powell admits that he couldn’t picture the Armory, despite its location off Highway 40, when he was first approached about directing the culinary program for the space. You simply have to see the space, however, to appreciate all it has to offer, he says.

In addition to the opening-night event, there will be several other holiday events:

• December 17: 12 Bars of Charity, 1 - 6 p.m.
• December 23: Now! That’s an Armory STL Christmas, 8 p.m. - close.
• December 31: Armory NYE STL—A Dance Revolution, with DJs, live bands, a laser show, and VIP upgrades, 9 p.m. - 1 a.m.