ST. LOUIS – Rockwell Beer Co., a St. Louis-based craft brewery, will open a second location – Rockwell Beer Garden – at Francis Park in the St. Louis Hills neighborhood of South St. Louis. The walk-up food counter, concession stand and outdoor dining/gathering space will be located within a reimagined 1929 “comfort center” building adjacent to the Francis Park tennis courts. Rockwell Beer Garden is scheduled to open later this summer following extensive renovations and upgrades to the facility and will operate on a seasonal basis.
In a nod to St. Louis’ past beer garden culture, Rockwell Beer Garden is designed to be a focal point for community gathering within the park, complete with plenty of outdoor seating, fire pits and an outdoor recreation area. In addition to offering Rockwell Beer Co. products, the Francis Park location will serve cocktails, wine and non-alcoholic beverages. The beer garden will also offer newly inspired, family-friendly fare, as well as some full-service dining options.
“We are obsessed with reinvigorating the longstanding beer garden culture in St. Louis, because it provided such a tremendous sense of community to people in our city,” said Rockwell Beer Co. co-founder James Sanders. “With the tremendous help and support of various St. Louis Hills neighborhood associations, Alderman Tom Oldenberg, and the City of Saint Louis, our Rockwell team is creating a gathering spot in Francis Park that has something for the entire family. As a longtime St. Louis Hills resident, I am especially proud of this accomplishment.”
After extensively researching the city’s beer garden heritage at the Missouri History Museum, Sanders and fellow Rockwell Beer Co. co-founder and development partner Chris Hulse worked closely with members of the St. Louis Hills community to bring the beer garden to Francis Park. The goal was to have Rockwell Beer Garden become an integral part of visits to Francis Park while respecting the neighborhood and history of the park.
As part of the renovations, the City of St. Louis Parks Department will make improvements to the Francis Park tennis courts – some of which will be repurposed as pickleball courts. The Rockwell Beer Garden will have pickleball equipment available by request for visitors to enjoy the updated facilities.
“It has been a rewarding process to work with the Rockwell team and help them bring the Rockwell experience to Francis Park,” said Oldenberg. “The park is the crown jewel of our neighborhood. Having a new place – with high quality food and drinks – for people of all ages to gather makes the park even more special.”
About Rockwell Beer Co.
Launched in St. Louis in 2018, the Rockwell Beer Co. brewery and tasting room has been a gathering place for both the beer obsessed and casual drinker to stop by, grab a beer and stay awhile. Head brewer Jonathan Moxey – operating under the mantra: “Beer should be fun, not fussy” – is obsessed with creating well-balanced beers for every palate. Using Rockwell’s 15-barrel brewhouse located at 1320 Vandeventer Ave., Moxey and his team are free to experiment with new varieties, both at the tasting room and out in the Saint Louis market. The resulting offerings range from time-honored classics to future experimental and include such fan favorites as Stand By Hoppy Pilsner, Velour Tracksuit IPA and Moonbase Porter.
For More Information:
https://www.rockwellbeer.com