Pressbox Sports Bar & Kitchen will open in south St. Louis this summer

By Natalie Mechem // June 21, 2021

A new sports bar is opening in South City this summer. Pressbox Sports Bar & Kitchen is slated to open at 2718 Gravois Ave., formerly The Beechwood, in July.

Cousins Jimmy McKinney and Donnell McKinney co-own the bar, with their cousin Rashad McKinney serving as the chef. The trio grew up in the South City area. A former professional basketball player in Germany, Jimmy McKinney said he didn’t expect to get into the restaurant business, but he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to open a sports bar. While driving around town one day this spring, he noticed that the former Beechwood spot was vacant and decided to find out more.  

 “I hopped out of my car and looked through the window. Someone who knew the owner came around the corner and we just got to talking,” he said. “[The opportunity] just kind of fell out of the sky.”

Pressbox plans to serve various food and drink options in a fun, sports bar atmosphere. The food menu will focus on appetizers and shareable starters with items like made-to-order wings, burgers, salads, pressed sandwiches and mozzarella sticks. The beverage menu is still in the works, but a range of beers and mixed drinks will be offered.

“Hopefully, the people who come to the bar will be able to choose exactly what they want because we have exactly what they want,” Jimmy said. 

The space is roughly 4,000 square feet with a front and back patio and seating for nearly 150 guests between the inside and outside. Aside from eating and drinking, guests will be able to enjoy basketball hoops, pool tables, dart boards and 25 flat-screen TVs for sports aplenty. Pressbox will also host events, including karaoke nights. Live jam sessions will take place on Wednesday evenings to highlight local bands and artists. Pressbox will welcome people of all ages, but children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult, and after 8 p.m., you must be 21 or older to join in on the fun. 

“I can’t wait to see the vision that I have for it,” Jimmy said. “We just have to open up first.”

For updates, visit the Facebook or stlpressbox.com.