St. Louis National Pizza Co 3201 S. Grand Blvd

moorlander · PostApr 16, 2010#12010-04-16T12:33+00:00

Newcomers include Brian Williams, who will debut the St. Louis National Pizza Co. on May 1 at 3201 S. Grand Blvd. He’ll serve pizza by the slice and will tap into demand from nearby Saint Louis University students.

Read more: Burgeoning pizza culture on the rise in St. Louis - St. Louis Business Journal:

http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/ ... tory2.html

iceburg · PostApr 16, 2010#22010-04-16T21:38+00:00

I can't wait! However, as a recent SLU graduate, I think this might be a little too far for the average SLU student. I don't mean to dis any of my fellow alumni, but SLU students are particularly adventurous. For a pizza-by-the-slice place to be attractive for SLU kids, it would have to be open til 3:30 AM and just a short stumble from Humphrey's.

Again, I hate to be a nay sayer, but I have always wondered why a place like this doesn't exist across from campus. The folks who own B&T Pizza on Washington also own Laclede Coffee Company, located on the first floor of the University Loft Apartments (former Stix Baer and Fuller warehouse). Business for LCC is obviously struggling, and just recently they set aside a space for a "wine bar." Seems to me that they should switch the locations of these two establishments. Wine bar/coffee shop on Washington Ave and pizza-by-the-slice across from SLU.

innov8ion · PostApr 16, 2010#32010-04-16T21:44+00:00

iceburg wrote:Seems to me that they should switch the locations of these two establishments. Wine bar/coffee shop on Washington Ave and pizza-by-the-slice across from SLU.

A switch would not likely be a great idea smart as B&T pizza fills a niche in the downtown market with pizza by-the-slice.

lukethedrifter · PostApr 16, 2010#42010-04-16T22:44+00:00

innov8ion wrote:
iceburg wrote:Seems to me that they should switch the locations of these two establishments. Wine bar/coffee shop on Washington Ave and pizza-by-the-slice across from SLU.
A switch would not likely be a great idea smart as B&T pizza fills a niche in the downtown market with pizza by-the-slice.

He meant Laclede.

stlwriterman · PostApr 20, 2010#52010-04-20T14:40+00:00

Is this place ever going to open? They've had signs in the windows since fall. And have had furniture in there for at least a month. But, as of yet, no pizza.
It's like the 12th Street Diner all over again. What gives? And how do small restaurants afford to rent space they're not using for this long?

conurbation · PostApr 21, 2010#62010-04-21T15:55+00:00

stlwriterman wrote:Is this place ever going to open? They've had signs in the windows since fall. And have had furniture in there for at least a month. But, as of yet, no pizza.
It's like the 12th Street Diner all over again. What gives? And how do small restaurants afford to rent space they're not using for this long?

I question I also ask as well. The worst had to be Emack & Bolio's. Their lease, being at the corner of Grand and Arsenal, couldn't have been cheap. Yet they were only open about 6 months out of the year. Small wonder such places go out of business. Hopeful STL National won't follow that trend.

stlwriterman · PostApr 21, 2010#72010-04-21T16:39+00:00

Conurbation wrote:
I question I also ask as well. The worst had to be Emack & Bolio's. Their lease, being at the corner of Grand and Arsenal, couldn't have been cheap. Yet they were only open about 6 months out of the year. Small wonder such places go out of business. Hopeful STL National won't follow that trend.

God, that place was a disaster. They occupied that storefront for at least 18 months, were open for maybe 6 of them. Now it's for lease again. Great location. Frustrating to watch it sit dark so much.

jasontoon · PostApr 21, 2010#82010-04-21T17:03+00:00

stlwriterman wrote:
Conurbation wrote:
I question I also ask as well. The worst had to be Emack & Bolio's. Their lease, being at the corner of Grand and Arsenal, couldn't have been cheap. Yet they were only open about 6 months out of the year. Small wonder such places go out of business. Hopeful STL National won't follow that trend.
God, that place was a disaster. They occupied that storefront for at least 18 months, were open for maybe 6 of them. Now it's for lease again. Great location. Frustrating to watch it sit dark so much.

My favorite part was when they "closed for the season" in, like, September. I'm sorry to see that space empty, but glad those chumps are out of the way so somebody can give it a real shot there.

PostApr 21, 2010#92010-04-21T17:07+00:00

stlwriterman wrote:Is this place ever going to open?

From the original post at the top of this thread: "Brian Williams, who will debut the St. Louis National Pizza Co. on May 1"

Yeah, I don't know what the holdup was either.

I am glad that they'll be offering St. Louis-style pizza, though. F the snobs!

conurbation · PostApr 21, 2010#102010-04-21T22:36+00:00

Actually just noticed today that they had a few construction guys outside building a wrought iron enclosure for a patio. Hard to tell exactly what it will look like, but it looks pretty nice from what was up so far. Looks like a pretty big patio.

PostApr 22, 2010#112010-04-22T20:07+00:00

A couple photos of the now completed patio. Looks like it's close:

dweebe · PostApr 22, 2010#122010-04-22T20:18+00:00

Nice to see a pizza place in this stretch to add to the variety.

Not everyone wants to wait 90 minutes in a dive bar for a Blackthorn deep dish pizza.

washuslouser · PostApr 22, 2010#132010-04-22T20:26+00:00

I just found this, it was linked from the bbc website.

Not sure if it is relevant but cool nonetheless.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/travel- ... s/42/49836

the central scrutinizer · PostApr 23, 2010#142010-04-23T00:19+00:00

I wonder if this is the same Brian Williams who runs a lot of local volleyball leagues? If so, there might some bumps along the way.

krykel · PostApr 23, 2010#152010-04-23T17:34+00:00

I am so happy to see the south grand scene now stretching all the way to Utah. It used to be just a couple blocks of shops and restaurants. The other day I went to the bookstore, natural grocer, pharmacy and grabbed dinner all in one fell swoop.

dweebe · PostApr 23, 2010#162010-04-23T18:20+00:00

The Central Scrutinizer wrote:I wonder if this is the same Brian Williams who runs a lot of local volleyball leagues? If so, there might some bumps along the way.

Good God I hope not; I stopped playing his tourneys years ago. He loved taking the money and run while paying little attention to the teams playing. He'd have high power level teams playing in low rec brackets against people who couldn't even understand the concept of a 3 hit cycle.

the central scrutinizer · PostApr 23, 2010#172010-04-23T21:34+00:00

dweebe wrote:
The Central Scrutinizer wrote:I wonder if this is the same Brian Williams who runs a lot of local volleyball leagues? If so, there might some bumps along the way.
Good God I hope not; I stopped playing his tourneys years ago. He loved taking the money and run while paying little attention to the teams playing. He'd have high power level teams playing in low rec brackets against people who couldn't even understand the concept of a 3 hit cycle.

"Some bumps along the way" was the nicest way I could phrase it. In other words, I don't think I would do business with him.

iceburg · PostMay 01, 2010#182010-05-01T18:56+00:00

Just spoke to a worker outside. He reports that they will open Saturday, May 15. Next week, Saturday, May 8 (I think), the Pizza Co. will be giving away FREE pizza from 12-1 for community appreciation day.

southsidered · PostJun 25, 2010#192010-06-25T17:26+00:00

This place seems to have succumbed to that fatal bug afflicting so many local joints: Mysteriously Closed For No Apparent Reason Syndrome.

Had an office full of people ready to eat lunch there today. Of course, the doors are locked, posted hours of operation be damned. Looks like the skeptics were right.

I don't get it. You spend tons of time and money fixing a place up and starting a business - then you can't be bothered to stick to any kind of schedule? What?

Alex Ihnen · PostJun 25, 2010#202010-06-25T17:32+00:00

I was on South Grand last week and watched as several people come up to the restaurant only to find it closed (Friday c. 6pm). A couple said they had eaten there the previous week.

lukethedrifter · PostJun 25, 2010#212010-06-25T18:00+00:00

I sure miss the Middle Eastern Market that occupied that space in the 90s.

moorlander · PostJun 25, 2010#222010-06-25T22:47+00:00

I don't understand how you can open a place only to shut it in 2 months. These people don't have any business opening in the first place if they don't have the bank roll to cover a few lean months at start up.

stlwriterman · PostJun 25, 2010#232010-06-25T23:46+00:00

Has it even been open two months?
Perhaps they blew their bank on the many months of rent they must have been paying before they even opened. I know that the unforseen happens, but I'm amazed at how many places take so long getting open.

ben1040 · PostJul 14, 2010#242010-07-14T02:37+00:00

Apparently it was a medical issue on the part of the owner; they say they'll be resuming regular hours today.

jmmnq6 · PostJul 14, 2010#252010-07-14T14:20+00:00

I actually went by there on July 2nd or 3rd and they were open, but their credit card machine was not set up yet, so I couldn't order.

Looked at their menu... they have Chicago, St. Louis, and NY style pizza.