Part cocktail bar, part old-school arcade and games venue, Purple Quarters (4170 Manchester) fills what brother Tony and Joe Collins see as a need in The Grove for a welcoming, vibrant bar and leisure destination. It offers games of all kinds, high-quality craft beverages, live music, DJs, an inviting patio, and, most importantly for the owners, a place where people can feel like they are a part of something.
“We really want to bring in community and make The Grove a better place,” says Joe Collins. “It’s great already, and we want to have a positive impact on it and bring that sense of belonging.”
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The Atmosphere
Similar to Parlor, its predecessor in the space, Purple Quarters is a games-focused venue, though the Collinses plan to expand on the arcade platform with a variety of options. Everything from pinball to Skee-Ball, table tennis to board games are available for guests of all abilities to play. “We want to be good for casual players or competitive friends,” says Tony Collins. “The idea is to have something for everyone.”
The goal, the Collinses say, is to create a place for patrons to gather and have a good time with friends, colleagues, and other Grove-goers looking for a fun evening. While they describe their first location, The Get Down (1449 S. Vandeventer), as more of a neighborhood dive bar, Purple Quarters is more lively and vibrant, thanks to the games and music.
The atmosphere contributes to that sense of fun. Adorned in dark hues, the space has what the brothers describe as “retro funk vibes,” including 1970s-inspired décor such as lava lamps, as well as the brand’s signature giraffe mascot, which make subtle appearances throughout the space.
As for the layout, Purple Quarters is divided into a few areas. Upon entry, guests walk into a lounge that contains the venue’s main vintage wooden bar. This area offers a low-key place for conversation and board games. It flows into a main gaming area, which contains a variety of activities, from a purple-felted pool table to Pop-A-Shot and Skee-Ball. Adjacent to this space is an additional room with more games and larger tables for groups. This space is also where the DJ booth is set up, giving the room an upbeat atmosphere. Purple Quarters also has a back patio, with a partially covered seating area.
The Menu
Over the course of their four years in business at their sister spot, The Get Down, the Collinses worked hard to perfect their cocktail game. At Purple Quarters, they offer an extensive, rotating cocktail menu and a large library of longtime favorites that can be made on request.
“Tony and I might be biased, but we think we have some of the best cocktails in St. Louis,” says Joe. “They really stand up to other great drinks that are out there and hold up over time. People will come back two years later to have a cocktail we made that they still remember.”
Tony echoes his brother’s sentiment. “We pride ourselves in being a neighborhood bar that can make any classic cocktail to the highest-quality standard, and we also have many specialty cocktails that we have made over the years, so we have a large catalog. We really do have some of the best cocktails in St. Louis and are excited to bring that experience here and put a fresh spin on it and make even more innovative ones that people love.”
In addition to classic offerings, Purple Quarters has a rotating seasonal menu that changes seasonally. The bar also continues its sister concept’s tradition of serving drinks in cool, vintage glassware, which the owners believe adds to the experience.
While Purple Quarters does not have a kitchen, the Collinses are looking into ongoing partnerships and special collaborations with Grove neighborhood restaurants. They are also considering working with ghost kitchens as another option to provide food to guests.
The Backstory
Joe and Tony grew up in Ballwin, and both got into the restaurant business at an early age. Joe’s journey was a little more linear; he started as a busser at Mike Duffy’s in West County, studied hospitality management at Mizzou, worked in restaurants and bars in Columbia during his college career, and returned to St. Louis, where he continued to work in the industry, including several years as general manager at Three Kings Public House.
Tony also has a long history in the restaurant business. He spent roughly two decades rising through the ranks at Red Robin but went to Mizzou for architecture and design. After returning to St. Louis, however, he found himself back in the restaurant and bar industry, eventually developing a focus on marketing and branding.
The brothers always dreamed of opening a place of their own, and that finally came true with their freshman effort, The Get Down, which opened at the corner of Vandeventer and Boyle Avenues in late 2019. They enjoyed a successful few months before the pandemic upended the industry and forced them to adapt—offering to-go food and cocktails, selling merchandise—in order for their business to survive. The bar eventually reopened, and they’ve been building back the business ever since. The pair credits the support of regulars, who have been the backbone of the business. They hope Purple Quarters will create a similar sense of community for patrons and serve as another step in becoming a growing local entertainment brand.
“We would like to become a family restaurant group in St. Louis with multiple locations,” says Joe. “Getting to that point is going to be fun. We are on location number two now, and a year ago, we didn’t necessarily know that would happen. But things fell into place, and the right things aligned. We realize this concept can work, and we are going for it.”
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated from an earlier version to reflect the establishment’s rebranding.
