East Village News

[DMRyan]

Hopefully it will be like a mini-Centro. Not a place that gets overcrowded with young people wanting to get smashed, but a classy place to hang out for Martinis.

This space seems like it would be pretty small too.

[dmluvr]

It's all about the class ain't it ryan!! This does sound pretty groovy, it'l have to be checked out for sure!

I didn't hear anything about this....wasn't something going in though right on the other side of zzz records?? I thought they were talking rooftop patio or something---whatever happened to that??

[DMRyan]

As far as I know, that's still on. It's Mr. Logsdon's business that's supposed to be immediately east of the SoHo Lofts.

[dogbo]

The decor will be have a 1960s-1970s retro look.

ah oh. Could be competition for the High Life Lounge.

Seriously, this sounds like a great addition to the area and I have to believe they plan to operate as a "bar" after the grill closes. They'd be missing out on a great opportunity if they don't.

[Ingersoll1978]

Has anyone seen the Blazing Saddle after the exterior renovation? Does it look much better?

[dogbo]

I think it looks pretty sharp however they've only done work on the main building. The building next door to the south, still has the old facade on it. Looks very tacky in its present state. My assumption is they'll work on that next.

Does anyone know anything about the new bar that opened next to the Saddle? Looks nice from the outside. Someone told me it too was a gay bar, but the write up in the Datebook didn't seem to suggestion this. (I supposed I could just be confident in my manhood and just check it out for myself )

[DMRyan]

It's owned by the same people that own the Saddle isn't it? I haven't heard much about this place other than the write up in the Datebook.

[Young DSM Social Club]

It is a gay bar --- I know the person who did the write up --- I noticed she also left that out --- guess maybe it doesn't matter . !

We went there once on an "afternoon pub crawl" one day (other stops included Doozies and the Locust Tap).

It is actually very nice inside --- I think it's nicer inside than the outside. Everyone in the group (about 10) liked it.

I have no idea how much of a "straight" crowd goes there, but if you are okay with pictures of half-naked men on the wall, you'd be fine.

[Ingersoll1978]

Here's a great article about the East Village from the Business Record:

More fuel for ‘hot’ East Village

By Erin Morain
[email protected]

Published March 27, 2005

Des Moines’ East Village has been burgeoning in recent years, and now the owners of a new bar and restaurant and a relocated live music venue hope their businesses will contribute to the district’s growing nightlife appeal.

“Our mission is to assist in the creation of a thriving, attractive retail, residential and entertainment neighborhood, and this takes us one step closer to that,” said Kit Curran, president of Historic East Village Inc.

The House of Bricks, currently located at 3839 Merle Hay Rd., will relocate to 525 E. Grand Ave. in the coming weeks, and brothers Kevin and Brian Dubay will soon open The Continental, a bar and restaurant, at 428 E. Locust.

“There are already nice places to eat, there’s retail going on, and all of this is glomming together to make for a good package,” said J.C. Wilson, co-owner of The House of Bricks. “I think (the East Village) is hotter today than it was a year ago, and I think it will be even hotter next year.”

Des Moines native Kevin Dubay believed the East Village would be the perfect setting for The Continental, a bar and restaurant he’d been dreaming of for years. He quit his job as an art instructor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City nearly one year ago and made his dream a reality.

“This is the next hot spot in Des Moines,” he said. “There are all kinds of living spaces going up right down the street. It just seemed like the right time for this area.”

The Continental, which will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday, will feature about 50 bottled beers, various brands of scotch and a full menu, which Dubay described as an Americanized version of tapas, Spanish appetizers generally served with beer or sherris. His brother, Brian, will serve as the head chef.

The two men have spent the last month and a half renovating the space at 428 E. Locust St., and expect to open April 8. Dubay has been able to infuse some of his own artistic influence into the restaurant.

“I’ve been away from Des Moines and lived in larger cities and I’m sort of taking my favorite places from around the country and combining them into one thing to bring back to Des Moines,” Dubay said.

He’s taken hints from places such as the Velvet Dog in Kansas City, Mo., with its “throwback, retro feel.” He’s tried to create a similar environment in The Continental, complete with retro-style light fixtures that he’s purchased on eBay, gilded mirrors and works by local artists. The deep reds and other warm colors will create a cozy environment, he said.

“It has that downtown feel – long and narrow, high ceilings, exposed brick,” Dubay said. “You can’t get anything like this in the suburbs.”

Wilson had a similar realization as The House of Bricks’ lease at 3839 Merle Hay Road was set to expire. The former Hammer Pharmacy building seemed to be a perfect spot to relocate to.

“The neighborhood’s got such a great future ahead of it, and we want to be a part of that,” he said.

The House of Bricks will close Wednesday on Merle Hay Road, its home for the past five years, and expects to reopen April 8 in the East Village, still as a live music venue, but with some noticeable changes.

“We aspire to make it more versatile when it comes to entertainment,” Wilson said. “We’re going to go all over the place here – not go away from rock, but entertain different facets a little more.”

Wilson said the new location, though similar in size to the Merle Hay Road space, is better suited for live music, and with a separate bar and restaurant area, he expects it will cater to a broad range of people, even those not interested in listening to music.

“It will still be all about live music, because that’s what built The House of Bricks,” he said.

Curran said the neighborhood is “absolutely thrilled” with the addition of The House of Bricks and The Continental. She said the two additions will contribute to a “funky and functional” neighborhood, and will also bring new clientele to the area and benefit existing businesses.

“It’s great to have a venue for nighttime entertainment,” Curran said. “And it’s something different. They’re both very unique.”

[DMRyan]

This is awesome news. East Village is transforming into one of biggest downtown entertainment districts almost overnight. So many new bars and restaurants have come online within the past year and it will only get better as the big attractions bring more people to downtown later this year.

[dogbo]

Interesting news I overheard at IMPACT Downtown meeting this evening.

A guy I was talking to indicated that the Royal Mile guys just closed the deal on buying Locust Tap. He was a little bitter as he said he'd been trying to buy if for awhile and hadn't had any luck. He claimed that the owners were weird about "not having the place gutted and redone" (which this guy wanted to do) and that the Mile guys agreed to leave it as is. A couple thoughts (if this is true).

#1 Great coupe for the Mile guys as this corner bar in the hot East Village could become quite a hot spot.

#2 If they agreed to "keep the place as is", I don't know how the former owner could enforce this once he's out of the picture.

This space has great potential!

[mistertwister]

Garunteed the "leave it as it is" was a gentleman's agreement that will last as long as it takes the ink to dry on the contract. No way can a former owner legally hold the current owner to conditions like that.

No question about it. This will be a great spot for the Royal mile guys to do something that could solidify the East Village as the hot spot we've all been wanting. It just needs a couple more quality restuarants and dance clubs and we're in business.

[DMRyan]

I was just going to say that it's really starting to happen folks, and the new arena isn't even open yet. We have to deceide if we want to have a large dining/shopping/entertainment district in one location, or have several scattered throughout downtown like what is currently happening...organically too I might add.

Downtown is in for a good year.

[Ingersoll1978]

It sure is...I can't wait!

[DSM celebutante]

DO you really want Royal Mile creators to go down there? Are these the same Hessen House Guys?

[mistertwister]

I don't see why we can't have several districts downtown. I really don't believe any one place can be all things to all people. I definitely see East Village as being a younger, hipper, trendy district while Court Ave would cater to the travelers/families/after work crowd and 10th street is the more adult dinner and drinks crowd. All three have their advantages and disadvantages but they all can work together to provide the kind of environment we've always wanted for our downtown.

[Young DSM Social Club]

Alas -- I wanted to buy the Locust Tap as well! Well, it wasn't a real possibility, but I liked the idea.

I am sure the Hessen Haus crew will do a fine job, but I would like to see some other people getting involved in opening new bars and restaurants. They can't do it all alone!

I think the new shuttle could easily tie together all of these areas --- go down to 10th St for something casual, off to Court Ave., then the East Village, then up to the events center (which ideally would also spin off some new developments ...).

Neat stuff.

[dogbo]

There's an article confirming the sale of Locust Tap to the Mile boys in the Business section of the Register today (front page with big picture...must be a slow news day).

A little worrisome that the so much of the theme of the story was about keeping the place as is....little if any plans in the way of renovation. Gotta hope this is just to placate the current owner.

[mistertwister]

It doesn't take a genius to realize that anything the Royal Mile guys says is merely meant to placate the current owner until they take possession. Seriously, if the business is doing poorly now, what kind of business person would continue to run things the same way?

I don't expect the Royal Mile guys to gut the place and reinvent it into a ultralounge, but I do expect some dumpsters and some major demolition in the near future as anything less is just bad business sense.

[dmluvr]

I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!! HEY EVERYONE!!!! (like I"m extras sprecial or anything) anyways......

This is great news to see. Its Amazing was going on downthere, as far as this agreement, there really isn't much that can be done. I have heard of things like this happneing before, and they have it as part of the purchase agreement, i.e. puchase addendum, but it's hard to enforce.

[Ingersoll1978]

Great to see ya back Luvr...

I agree with that state mistertwister (by the way...Chicago is in a tornado watch right now... ) on that statement. These guys would be crazy not to make major improvement to this bar. It is on a corner with a very high profile.

[DSM celebutante]

That is a cool corner only thing, is it gonna be lame theme bar that attracts lame Court Ave types just like House of bricks is. And what is with ppl opening 2nd locations in EV or just moving there kind of defeats the purpose of that area.

[DMRyan]

What are you talking about? What do lame Court Avenue types have to do with House of Bricks, a live music venue?

I don't get what it really is you're looking for...more clubs with velvet ropes? I hope more of that is to come in the future, but have you been to the Royal Mile, Hessen Haus and the High Life? This are very unique and popular bars that have long term stayng power well past a club.

[DSM celebutante]

I meant Court Ave bars not House of Bricks, lol High Life lmao yea ive been to Hessen Haus wasnt bad could use some improvements but not bad I dont see why everyone on here loves them so much just a bar with wood picnic table.
Plus from what I hear a lot business owners in the East Village arent happy about House of Bricks moving in the neighborhood.

DmRyan are you like antitrendy/upscale you seem to get mad at clubs or ideas of nice areas.

[DMRyan]

DmRyan are you like antitrendy/upscale you seem to get mad at clubs or ideas of nice areas.

No, not at all. I like having nice things, wearing nice clothes and sometimes enjoy going to the upscale places to hang out at night. I just don't think that every place needs to be like this. The Royal Mile guys are doing something 100% unique for downtown DSM that no ultra lounge could replicate. I do think that downtown DSM needs more upscale bars too, but let's not neglect the other places that everyone else likes to hang out in.

What I can't stand are overly pretentious people that somehow think the trendy clothes they wear or their "upscale" lifestyle makes them better than everyone else. Based on my experiences, unfortunalty this line of thinking comes with the territory in many of the upscale places. Hope that answers your question.

[DSM celebutante]

DmRyan are you like antitrendy/upscale you seem to get mad at clubs or ideas of nice areas.

What I can't stand are overly pretentious people that somehow think the trendy clothes they wear or their "upscale" lifestyle makes them better than everyone else. Based on my experiences, unfortunalty this line of thinking comes with the territory in many of the upscale places. Hope that answers your question.

Okay I do agree with the ppl who think wearing designer brands makes them a Rockefeller heir or something Des Moines seems to have a lot ppl who just learn about brands and thinks Armani Exchange makes them an heiress. Im just saying we have to many where "everyone else can go" type of places the town is full of them. I like the Idea of Contiental moving in Im just weary of what the Royal Mile guys are going to build may not exactly fill the mold of the East Village.

[dogbo]

dsm celeb wrote:

...ive been to Hessen Haus wasnt bad could use some improvements but not bad I dont see why everyone on here loves them so much just a bar with wood picnic table.

The large tables are part of what make the place authentic per German beer halls. To do anything different would defeat the purpose. Get it?? It's a theme bar.

I agree the theme bars work well around Court Ave and it would be nice if East Village places have a different feel to them. I think the Mile guys realize this and I bet they'll do the right thing with the Locust Tap.

[dogbo]

Did anyone make it to the Continental this weekend? ( I assume they opened 04/08 as advertised)? Didn't get there myself, but hope to very soon.

I see House of Bricks didn't make their 04/08 target. Not a big surprise considering how much work needs to be done to that spot. I am excited about their move to EV, but am curious as to their plans for the exterior. I would be very disappointed if they simply hang up their sign and open the door (as is).

[Ingersoll1978]

Is that the restaurant going in next to the Soho Lofts?

[dogbo]

No...you're thinking of the resturant that the owner of Basil's is putting in. That has yet to open and I haven't heard a target date.

This spot is down a few places next to Kitchen Colliage(sp?). There was a Business Record article on this a couple weeks ago (which I believe is found earlier in this tread).