Downtown St. Louis will see a new event space when Willow, the newest member of the Bailey family of restaurants opens in spring 2016. Located next to Bridge Tap House & Wine Bar at 321 N. 10th St., the space will provide some breathing room for Bailey’s growing catering business. Events were previously held in several of owner Dave Bailey’s restaurants (Baileys’ Range, Small Batch, Baileys’ Chocolate Bar and both Rooster locations), but he said Willow’s larger size and dedicated purpose are better suited for events.
“We’ve had our eye on this space for a long time,” he said. “Our catering business has been growing, and we’ve been turning down weekend business or larger format events. This space will allow us to accommodate larger events.”
Able to hold between 100 and 400 guests, the decor at Willow will complement Bridge. Bailey’s customizable catering menu will remain the same. “We want to provide a venue that’s comfortable and beautiful,” he said. “This space is on a corner and has big glass windows. We want to have a space with a whole lot of happy people.”
Willow is yet another project for the multitasking Bailey; he’s also slated to open Shift: Test Kitchen & Takeout, a carryout-only concept, in February.
This article appears in December 2015.