New Belleville business offers retro bar vibe with throwback menu, prices to match
Local business owner Jim Grindstaff will launch his latest endeavor as he opens the doors to AJ's Bar on Sunday afternoon.
Located at 3980 W. Main St. in Belleville, AJ's Bar has a totally retro vibe that reminds me of my youth, when it was more acceptable (was it ever really acceptable?) to bring children to a bar.
Grindstaff said he grew up in the '80s and '90s and feels nostalgic for that time. He loved hanging out with friends at The Dandy Inn back in the day. He misses corner bars where you could spend the evening hanging out with friends.
'You don't see those anymore,' he said.
AJ's Bar is his way of bringing back that feeling.
One of the retro aspects of AJ's is found in the menu, which include simple eats and beverages, all at retro prices.
Offerings include chili, hot dogs, burgers (served with chips) and pizza. Many of the food items are under $5 and no more than $10. The most expensive items are the pizzas, which come from Dogtown Pizza, based in St. Louis. Cheese pizza is $8, and pepperoni is $9.
American beer is available in bottles for $2.50 and in cans for $1.50. Draft beers include some tasty options from Belleville's Shoehorn Brewing and Millpond Brewing in Millstadt.
Best of all is the Retro Flight of Stag, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Hamm's and Old Style, available for $6.
Limiting the offerings also helps keep operating costs down, which, in turn, keeps the costs low for customers.
'I want to pass that [savings] on,' said Grindstaff, especially now that people are being hit hard by inflation.
Is AJ's Bar family-friendly? Absolutely. However, Grindstaff said there aren't many bigger tables that can be pushed together to accommodate larger groups.
The place has dartboards, and music will consist of 'old' ('his word, not mine — I prefer 'classic.') rock and country.
To maintain the bar's vibe with the style of music he plans to play, there will be no TouchTunes, he said. There's a disco ball at the bar. Maybe he can be convinced to play the occasional ABBA tune or some Bee Gees, perhaps?
But live music is something Grindstaff would like to eventually see at AJ's Bar. He said there's a space in one corner that would be perfect for a small stage setup.
The site previously housed AJ's Smashed & Smoked, which closed in August after nearly three years of business. In September, Grindstaff launched his food trailer concept, Grindstaff BBQ, which uses the building as its pantry.
The trailer is going great, he said, despite starting late in the food truck season and working into the colder months. He said they currently have 42 dates already booked for the trailer at Scott Air Force Base.
The addition of the bar is meant to help with the overhead for the building and the trailer.
As for the building itself, it's undergone a renovation that includes the installation of a new ceiling, flooring, walls and lighting.
The bar will continue to serve as the trailer's pantry. Part of the former dining room was converted into a storage area for the trailer's catering equipment and the sauces and rubs used to make the barbecue.
So when is this delightful throwback bar going to be open? The answer isn't simple.
Hours at AJ's Bar will be irregular and operate as a pop-up concept. When they don't have bookings for the truck and he doesn't have to be at his other business, Jack Nolen's in Soulard, the doors of AJ's Bar will open.
There are no set hours, so look for the 'Open' flag.
He and his son will work in the kitchen, and his wife will tend the bar. Grindstaff said they'll have occasional guest bartenders as well.
'When we can open, we're gonna try to,' said Grindstaff.
AJ's Bar is located at 6980 W. Main St. in Belleville. Hours for opening weekend will be 3-10 p.m. Sunday, March 16, noon to 10 p.m. Monday, March 17, and 5-10 p.m. Tuesday, March 18.
For upcoming pop-up dates and times, keep an eye on the AJ's Bar Facebook and Instagram pages.
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