It’s shaping up to be a busy month in Springfield as some old favorites return to town and new faces and restaurants open their doors. Here are three openings to look out for.
SBC’s The Cellar, 305 S. Market St., SpringfieldBrewingCo.com/sbcs-the-cellar
If you’ve been following the developments at the old Missouri Spirits House building, there’s a new update. It’s now a restaurant + bar + general hangout spot. The spacious distillery was purchased by its neighbor Springfield Brewing Company in 2020, and the brewery first announced it planned to turn the space into an events venue. That plan is long gone. Instead of a venue, Brew Co. has transformed the industrial-looking building into a new tap room and brew pub dubbed SBC’s The Cellar. It might sound odd for a restaurant/brewery to open its own competition right next door, but SBC Director of Operations Todd Schade says The Cellar compliments Brew Co. more than it competes. Of course, Brew Co. beers will be on tap at The Cellar, and Schade says the brewery is toying with the idea of releasing Brew Co.’s specialty beers through The Cellar as well. While the beers are the same, the menu certainly is not. Instead of the pub classics you find at Brew Co. including fish and chips, burgers, and mac and cheese, The Cellar servers smaller, tapas-inspired fare that’s great for sharing. There’s popcorn, spiced edamame, and sliders. Then there are the more adventurous bites like the corndog that’s dipped in batter, rolled in chopped french fries, and served with sambal ketchup. Oh, and there’s live music every Friday and Saturday night at this casual hangout and taproom where you can grab a bite, talk shop, or crack open that laptop.
Formed, 210 E. Walnut St., FormedGallery.com
Springfield’s art scene just got a new member—or rather several new members. Formed is not technically an art gallery, though you will find art here. More accurately, it’s an artist collective. The goal of Formed is to help support and launch new artists, so you’ll find a wide range of mediums here from leather works and ceramics to jewelry, oil paintings, and woodworking. The collective also hopes to use the space as a gathering place where community members can meet local artists and partake in classes and events, but for now, that dream is on hold due to COVID-19. Art fans in the area will likely be familiar with the corner space Formed moved into in February. It was the previous home to another beloved gallery—Fresh Gallery. Fresh Gallery moved down the street to a bigger space on Boonville Avenue, and that gave Formed a chance to scoop up the downtown storefront.
Copper Still, 107 Park Central Square, CivilKitchen.com
It’s been almost three years since the Copper Still last opened its doors to downtown patrons, but as of last week, the second-story bar and events venue is open once again. Located above Civil Kitchen, Copper Still offered guests a more loungy retreat where they could get some distance from the downstairs crowds and enjoy a cocktail. When a fire damaged the Copper Still in 2018, it wasn’t clear when the bar would reopen. Oddly enough, COVID-19 gave the team time to finish construction and repairs upstairs, and the bar reopened in early February. As of now, Copper Still is open Friday and Saturday nights and is booking private parties.
Photos // SBC’s The Cellar and Formed
