Planter's House Co-Owner Wins Approval for New Botanical Heights Bar

The city signed off this morning on a liquor license for Ted Charak's new concept Purgatory

Oct 19, 2023 at 10:23 am

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Ted and Jamie Kilgore with Ted Charak at Planter's House.

Jennifer Silverberg

Ted Charak, far right, with partners Ted and Jamie Kilgore at Planter's House.

At least part of the team that brought St. Louis the celebrated cocktail bars Planter's House (1000 Mississippi) and Small Change (2800 Indiana Avenue) is looking to open another bar — this time in Botanical Heights.

The city's Excise Division this morning approved a liquor license for Edward "Ted" Charak, co-owner of Planter's House in Lafayette Square and Small Change in Benton Park, for a building at 1654 Tower Grove Avenue.

City records show Angry Elf LLC, with Charak listed as the managing officer, applied for a liquor license for a concept called Purgatory.

Charak responded to the RFT's request for comment Thursday afternoon with scant details.

"All we have to comment at this point is yes we have secured a liquor license," he said. "More information to come at a later date."

So it's still unknown whether Charak's partners in his prior two concepts, Ted and Jamie Kilgore, will be involved. One interesting clue that suggests the answer could be yes: Purgatory is also the name of a cocktail Ted Kilgore invented, which is a variation on a Negroni, according to the Drunkard's Almanac.

But whatever the plans for Purgatory the bar, the concept will surely be welcomed by Botanical Heights residents, especially since restaurateur Ben Poremba announced he will relocate his Elaia, Olio and Nixta restaurants from the south city neighborhood to the Delmar Maker's District after the end of the year.

As for Charak, he moved back to his hometown St. Louis in 2010 after opening an award-winning cocktail lounge in Portland, Oregon. He and the husband-and-wife Kilgore team opened Planter's House in 2013 and Small Change in 2018.

This story has been updated with comment from Ted Charak.