Ol' Mike does it again: Shannon's new digs are a hit

STL Today/Post-Dispatch
February 16, 2006 - By: Thomas Crone

Last Friday, a long line snaked outside Mike Shannon's Steaks and Seafood, expansive, multiroom bar areas opening to the public after a few weekends of industry parties and soft-launch events. A happy-hour party with Alive Magazine that night had the house rocking as newcomers walked into the stunningly rebuilt Mark Twain Bank Center, overhauled by six months of work and a $4.2 million investment. As people waited outside, they were treated to a nice view of the new Busch Stadium, rising just a few blocks away.

It's fitting that this new space opens at the same time as the new Busch. With namesake Mike Shannon inextricably linked to the Cardinals, he shares the same sense of "move along for progress" thinking as the Redbirds.

Was the restaurant's move from its former location at Seventh and Chestnut streets bittersweet for Shannon?

"No, not really," he says. "We had a great 20 years over there. This is the next generation, it's much more upscale. We think downtown is on the move, and we're excited to move along with it. We want to be one of the leading lights in the comeback."

To be sure, with its prime location and bold lighting, Shannon's immediately stands out. But it's the interior of the bar space that's going to make for some early chatter, even though more private rooms will open in the basement and a huge patio is still a few months from full operation.

The bar area - consisting of the bar itself and a huge seating lounge - looks out onto the Gateway Mall, with nice views of northern downtown. The interior is handsomely appointed; especially nice are half-moon booths and private nook suites. And the sports memorabilia is about 20 cuts above the usual sports-bar fare, with Shannon moving his collection - and then some - into prominent glass cases.

The drinks at Shannon's are what you'd get at many downtown clubs, though Anheuser-Busch dominates the beer selection and their new Peels line of malt beverages are given good placement. Mixed drinks are a combination of rail and top-shelf, with martinis flying over the bar during the pre-opening parties.

Pat Shannon, Mike's daughter and general manager of the operation, says the space also will feature a top-flight wine bar, with selections coming from the "wine vault" - the bank's old safe, which simply was too large to move. The safe also will provide some of the same private-room options available on the lower level.

Once baseball season begins, the exterior will feature both a terraced dining area and a 1,000-person beer garden, which will operate under the auspices of the Pepper Lounge, with promotion and marketing by Synergy St. Louis. Shannon's is likely to compete this summer with the popular overlook area at Harry's, the upstart outdoor lounge at Copia and the party-hearty patio at Paddy O's.

Until then, the evident "wow" appeal of the interior probably will attract enough of a mix to give Shannon's a good boost. The arrivals in the early days suggest that the club will not only draw on tourists looking for a place to hang out before or after a game, but also a younger set than would normally be found in a sports bar. And Shannon's is still that, though it's definitely offering high-end amenities.

"When I went into this business," Shannon says, "I told people I wasn't into it for the short term, but for the long haul. This place is proof of that."

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