Special thank you to St. Louis Business Journal and KSDK for helping us share the news about the opening of 18Rails | The Venue @CityFoundrySTL!
One of the region’s largest caterers has opened its newest event venue — called 18 Rails | The Venue @ City Foundry STL — after first announcing the project in 2019.
The new venue from Butler’s Pantry is located at the center of City Foundry, the $300 million, mixed-use redevelopment on the site of the former Century Electric Co. foundry complex from developer New + Found. The venue, initially slated to open in fall 2020, was delayed by the pandemic, officials previously said.
The name of the venue pays homage to the 18 rail lines near where City Foundry is situated and the year Saint Louis University was founded in 1818, according to officials.
18 Rails can accommodate up to 700 guests (with seating for up to 390) inside the 6,724-square-foot space and will offer free parking and state-of-the-art technology with a custom-built audiovisual installation that will allow flexibility in dropping in specialty lighting and projection points. The space features a wall of original windows allowing for natural light, as well as treated concrete, wood grain, metal sheeting and exposed brick. Butler’s Pantry declined to share investment costs for the space.
Mark Herman, JEMA and the Lawrence Group served as architects on the project, while Integrate was the general contractor. Will Smith’s New + Found was the developer on the project.
Company officials said Butler’s Pantry already is booking events now and into the holidays at 18 Rails. Butler’s Pantry has 65 full-time employees and more than 300 part-time workers. The company was started in 1966 by Richard and Anita Nix as a home meal replacement business. It eventually turned into a small cafe and has today grown to be one of the region’s largest caterers. Richard Nix Jr. is the second generation and current owner of the family business.
View the full article from St. Louis Business Journal, here.
Also published by KSDK, here.