Tiny Bar Is Opening Downtown, Literally

Finishing up the mural at the Tiny Bar. | Courtesy Aaron Perlut
Finishing up the mural at the Tiny Bar. | Courtesy Aaron Perlut

St. Louis is home to a few lovely, pint-sized diners. Whether it's a quick stop during the workday or a late night after the bars, cozy spots like Carl's Drive-In (sixteen seats) or Tiffany's Original Diner (twelve or so seats) are perfect for a quick bite. But can we expect the same charm from an itsy-bitsy bar? We're about to find out, once Tiny Bar (1008 Lucas Street) opens in downtown.

The Tiny Bar comes from marketing and public-relations firm Elasticity, which just couldn't decide what to do with its 250-square-foot lobby. So, it'll be a twelve-seat bar, complete with $10 cocktails and a drink menu developed by Ted Charak of Planter's House.

See also: Tony's Restaurant to Add Fast-Casual Sibling, Tony's A.M.

"I don't know that it's necessarily needed, but it'll sure be interesting," co-owner Aaron Perlut tells us. Perlut, a partner at Elasticity, will own the Tiny Bar along with his fellow partners, Andrew Barnett and Brian Cross, plus their landlord, Daniel Cook.

"It will be another unique venue downtown -- we are big supporters of downtown business," Perlut says. "Ted Charak is one of my very dear friends, and he is helping us develop the cocktail menu."

Though the drinks will certainly have a pedigree, though Charak himself will not be mixing up your $10 Manhattan. "We're not looking to cater to the dollar-beer crowd. We want to create a unique, upscale cocktail lounge where working professionals and people who live downtown can grab a drink in a comfortable environment," he says. "We will cater to anybody, but that's the kind of clientele we're trying to reach."

The partners expect the Tiny Bar to be open around April; there's the usual construction and permits and all that, albeit on a smaller scale. Local artist Phil Jarvis is already painting a mural there (you can also see his work at Grove East Provisions and Kakao Chocolate, among many others), of Eddie Gaedel, its mascot of sorts, the shortest Major League Baseball player of all time.

You can follow the Tiny Bar on Facebook and Twitter.

Gut Check is always hungry for tips and feedback. Email the author at [email protected].

Follow Nancy Stiles on Twitter: