Blank Space, a community arts and event space at 2847 Cherokee St., will soon color its empty canvas with an expanded beverage program following renovations this spring.
Currently, Blank Space patrons can sip pour over coffees, experience gong fu-style tea service and alcoholic beverages at its main bar. Owner Kaveh Razani wants to renovate the second floor and basement to add more event space, bars and seating. He plans to turn the second floor into an airy, “off-the-beaten-path” bar that will include small batch spirits, beer and wine. Updates to the basement could transform Blank Space from a relaxed speakeasy one night to a music venue the next night. “The whole Blank Space mentality is that we are a blank canvas for anyone to come in and experiment,” Razani said.
Bartender Joel Clark is spearheading the new beverage program. Clark, who has experience at Sanctuaria and Mission Taco Joint, said a rotating featured cocktail list will be “very ambitious and very ambiguous” and fit the all-encompassing nature of Blank Space.
Razani has also updated Blank Space’s kitchen to allow for culinary collaboration, too, with the potential for pop-up concepts and guest chefs. While he is open to the idea of a permanent chef, he stressed that any food offerings would change frequently, allowing that person to experiment with seasonal ingredients.
The Blank Space renovations are just one of many changes and additions to the burgeoning Cherokee Street community. As reported by Thomas Crone of St. Louis Magazine, the start of this year also marked the opening of Los Punk at 2709 Cherokee St., an event space and restaurant offering international street food-style dishes. Los Punk joins the ranks alongside Athlete Eats and soon-to-open Yaqui’s on Cherokee and Craft Art Bar.
This article appears in February 2014.