How Olive + Oak’s Morgaine Segura fell hard for bartending
When most children are 8 years old, they’re taking down limitless amounts of soda and candy and fantasizing about what their school cafeteria might serve for lunch. When Morgaine Segura was 8, she was discovering wine and mastering the Negroni. Her playground was her mint-filled backyard and her play dates were with industry professionals at…
Mike’s Hot Dogs has closed after two years in University City
Mike’s Hot Dogs, Soups and Sandwiches, which opened two years ago at 7293 Olive Blvd. in University City, has permanently closed, as reported by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The restaurant was owned and run by Mike Eagan Jr., who had previously served as executive chef at Cardwell’s in Clayton. In addition to their eponymous dish,…
Napoli III to open at The Streets of St. Charles
Napoli III, the latest addition to the Pietoso family’s Napoli Restaurants, is coming to The Streets of St. Charles, a mixed-use development located at 1450 Beale St. The restaurant’s construction will conclude in December and the opening is planned for December or January, pending conditions related to COVID-19. The opening, which would have been announced…
Bar K will offer St. Louis diners a new dog-friendly option next year
The dog days of summer will now extend into winter as Kansas City-based Bar K, a dog-friendly restaurant concept now under construction, works to open their second location at 4565 McRee Ave. in early 2021. The restaurant, located in an industrial area between the Hill and Botanical Heights, will occupy the former Cardinal Building Materials…
St. Louis County restaurant patios expanding outward amid impending restrictions
Across St. Louis County, restaurants, together with city management, have been extending patios in creative ways to offer as much socially distanced seating as possible. As of 5 p.m. July 31, businesses in St. Louis County will be restricted to 25% capacity, and the extra patio space could be a big help for restaurants doing…
Upshot Coffee opens second location in St. Charles
Fans of Cottleville’s Upshot Coffee can now get their fix in historic downtown St. Charles. The new spot is in a remodeled brake shop located at 816 N. Kingshighway St. and is appropriately billed Upshot Coffee Brake Shop. They opened for service on July 27. “[We’re trying] to let people know that we heard that…
St. Louis city issues first wave of closures due to non-compliance with reopening orders
In a press conference yesterday, Monday, July 27, St. Louis city mayor Lyda Krewson announced that the government would be shutting down businesses not in compliance with the safety measures recommended by the city. She was unable to list the businesses that would be affected, as they had yet to be notified. According to Jacob…
Three Monkeys to close indefinitely after service this Sunday
Popular Tower Grove South restaurant and bar Three Monkeys announced yesterday, Tuesday, July 28, via Facebook that their final service for the foreseeable future would take place this Sunday, Aug. 2. The restaurant, located at 3153 Morgan Ford Road, has been going since 2007, and changed owners in 2018, when it was bought by Zach…
First Look: Bijoux Handcrafted Chocolates in Des Peres
A local farmers market purveyor has upgraded to a brick-and-mortar. Bijoux Handcrafted Chocolates opened in mid-July at 13014 Manchester Road in Des Peres. Owner Meggie Mobley worked out of her home kitchen for two years under the Missouri cottage food law, selling her wares at pop-ups and markets, most notably the Lake St. Louis Farmers &…
4 picnic-perfect accessories
This is the summer of the picnic. With so many restrictions on events and large gatherings, our social lives have moved almost entirely outdoors. A picnic is an easy alternative to going out that invites a huge amount of creativity. It can entail everything from dance parties and board games to massive takeout meals and…
Sauce seeks editorial interns for fall 2020
Attention journalism, communications and English students: Sauce Magazine is seeking remote editorial interns for fall 2020. We need students with a passion for the St. Louis food scene who want to translate that love to print and online media. As a Sauce editorial intern, you will: • Assist Sauce editorial team with the production of the…
St. Louis city mayor Lyda Krewson vows to shut down businesses that ignore public health orders
Earlier today, St. Louis county executive Sam Page announced a scaling back of the reopening procedures that have been rolling out in the county; now, restaurants there can only operate at 25% capacity, and bars must close at 10 p.m. A few hours later, city mayor Lyda Krewson issued her own statement pertaining to the…
New St. Louis County restrictions shut down late-night service at bars and limit restaurant capacity to 25%
St. Louis County Executive Sam Page unveiled a series of increased business restrictions during a press conference today, Monday, July 27, in the wake of a record 523 new cases reported over a 24-hour period from July 25 to 26, according to data entered into Missouri’s communicable disease database and published by the St. Louis…
3 meals that changed St. Louis pastry chef Stephanie Fischer’s life
If you’ve ever had a croissant from Comet Coffee, you know something about Stephanie Fischer. The woman behind those excellent pastries is thoughtful, meticulous and she must love butter. When the coronavirus pandemic hit St. Louis, Fischer started selling frozen potpies so Barnes Jewish Hospital employees who always stop by Comet could have something easy…
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Your summer guide to wine country within reach of St. Louis
The summer of 2020 will likely be different from years past for almost everyone. With many international travel bans still in place and COVID cases on the rise in some states, you may be feeling at a loss if your plans have been postponed or canceled. Luckily, the bi-state area has plenty of wineries and…
The Central West End’s Euclid Avenue will offer open-air dining space on weekends
Editor’s note: This article was updated Friday, Aug. 7, to include two more restaurants joining the roster: Cocina Latina and Evangeline’s Bistro and Music House. Beginning today, Friday, July 24, the Central West End will shut off traffic through two separate sections of Euclid Avenue to provide additional outdoor seating for several local restaurants. From 5 to…
Doggie Mac’s will open brick-and-mortar in Holly Hills in August
Bryan Scott, chef-owner of Doggie Mac’s, is putting a foundation under his popular food truck. He had been looking for the right brick-and-mortar location since starting up the food truck in late 2018, finding a spot at 5622 S. Grand Blvd., the former home of Bridge Bread in the Holly Hills neighborhood of South City. The…
Gerard Craft and Niche Food Group sign on as culinary consultants for the Angad Arts Hotel
Big changes are happening at one of Grand Center’s main hospitality and dining hubs. Going forward, Gerard Craft and Niche Food Group will be acting as culinary consultants for the Angad Arts Hotel’s dining and beverage programs. The hotel – and most notably its main restaurant, Grand Tavern – had previously partnered with chef David…
The Annex Coffee and Foods in Webster Groves offers online ordering while planning storefront opening
John Barr and Kelley Hall-Barr, the couple behind the Frisco Barroom and Civil Alchemy in Webster Groves, have announced a new project, The Annex Coffee and Foods at 8122 Big Bend Blvd., that will be housed between their other two spots. Barr describes The Annex as “a long-awaited idea” that draws inspiration from its two sibling establishments, bringing together the kinds of…
First Look: Made. by Lia in Old Town Florissant
Old Town Florissant will be even sweeter when Made. by Lia opens at 610 Rue St. Francis in mid-August. Owner Lia Weber, who lives just a block from her new shop, won TLC’s “Next Great Baker” in 2014, which helped her grow a social media following that she credits for some of her pre-opening success. …
First Look: Vegan Deli & Butcher in St. Charles
A vegan deli and butcher shop might sound a little out there to people who aren’t woke to the plant-based lifestyle but, to those who are, it’s one of the most exciting combinations of words they’ll ever hear. That’s why chef and co-owner Chris Bertke (formerly of Utah Station) calls his new restaurant, simply, Vegan…
To-go cocktails will remain on Missouri menus through 2020
Pre-batched cocktails and make-at-home kits will be available for carryout at restaurants in Missouri until at least the end of the 2020 calendar year thanks to an extension of the state of emergency. In April, Sauce reported on a mission to keep Missouri’s curbside cocktail programs alive during the coronavirus pandemic, followed by an article in May regarding the…
The $120B Restaurants Act could help save St. Louis restaurants if it passes
As with restaurants across the country, St. Louis’ restaurant industry is in danger due to the coronavirus pandemic. Independent restaurants in particular, which number over 500,000 across the country and employ over 11 million people, are struggling to keep afloat in the wake of new regulations and severe loss of business. A bipartisan bill was recently introduced…
Build a baller charcuterie board
This is the summer of the picnic. With so many restrictions on events and large gatherings, our social lives have moved almost entirely outdoors. A picnic is an easy alternative to going out that invites a huge amount of creativity. It can entail everything from dance parties and board games to massive takeout meals and…
First Look: Perennial on Lockwood in Webster Groves
From new iterations of The Parkmoor Drive-In and Olive + Oak to last year’s Layla and Balkan Treat Box, Webster Groves has recently become a veritable promised land for second locations of beloved local eateries. As of earlier this month, a collaboration between Perennial Artisan Ales and Olive + Oak has officially joined the roster. Perennial on…
First Look: Freddie G’s Chicken & Waffle in Hyde Park
North City’s fried chicken game just got upped – and with a sweet twist. Freddie G’s Chicken & Waffle opened July 11 at 1435 Salisbury St. in the Hyde Park neighborhood of North City to great reception from the surrounding community. “It’s been busy pretty much busy from open till close,” said owner Tebyron Graham,…
Remembering influential St. Louis restaurateur Bill Gianino, who has died at age 69
St. Louis has lost another iconic culinary leader. William “Bill” Gianino was spending time at his family farm in Cuba, Missouri, when he died after a heart attack on June 26. He and his wife Kathy Gianino raised two sons, William “Billy” and Anthony “Tony” Gianino, and the family runs the Gianino Family Restaurants group…
Vicia bar manager Phil Ingram talks no-waste cocktails
In a garden, a certain symbiosis can be found between particular herbs and flowers, fruits and vegetables. In other words, “if it grows together, it goes together.” At Vicia, a similar attitude has yielded a food and drink environment unlike any other in St. Louis. Bar manager Phil Ingram built a program on the smart application…
Mother’s Fish has been a St. Louis landmark for over 30 years
Mother’s Fish didn’t start as a restaurant. Owner Sean Morris said that the original spot at North Spring Avenue and Olive Street began as a bar with a weekly fish fry for those in the know. His aunt and uncle, Evelyn and Levert Gordon, were the original owners, and his mother and grandmother would help…
Remembering iconic St. Louis restaurateur Charlie Gitto Sr., who has died at 87
Downtown St. Louis has lost one of its cultural icons. Longtime restaurateur and ever-present host Charlie Gitto Sr., “Mayor of Sixth Street” and owner of Charlie Gitto’s Downtown, died on July 4 from complications of a heart attack suffered earlier in the week. His family informed the public via Facebook, which has been met with…
Owner of Di Olivas opens Hot Sauce Werks on Main Street in St. Charles
Di Olivas Oil & Vinegar owner Robert Palleja has brought the heat back to St. Charles’ Historic Main Street. Hot Sauce Werks, which opened July 3 at 418 S. Main St., a couple blocks from Di Olivas, sells all things spicy. Items on offer include over 300 hot sauces, barbecue sauces and salsas, as well…
Eat this Taiwanese popcorn chicken from Tai Ke
It would be a big mistake – huge – to overlook the yan su ji, or Taiwanese popcorn chicken, on Tai Ke’s sprawling menu of street food classics. Lightly battered dark meat nuggets are tossed in a gently spicy combination of white pepper and Chinese five spice. The generous plate of crunchy, tender chicken and…
C. Oliver Coffee + Flower Bar owner Olivia Ridgel has a vision
Olivia Ridgel’s first job was at a Snobiz in North County. Until recently, that was the extent of her culinary experience. “I did other things, but I just kept coming around to wanting to have a cafe so bad,” she said. In 2018, Ridgel opened a coffee shop in her church to offer kids a…
First Look: The Parkmoor Drive-In in Webster Groves
If contemporary culture has taught us anything, it’s that summers are for reboots and sequels. In the realm of storied St. Louis restaurants, few have been more suited for a new, modern life than beloved The Parkmoor Drive-In, which opened in 1930, expanded to multiple locations in the ’50s and closed its final space in…
Pretzel Boy’s owners are serving summer treats at Pete’s Pops around St. Louis
Stop by World’s Fair Donuts and you’ll find Pete’s Pops, where Pretzel Boy’s owners Tim, Jamie and Matt Garvey are serving up a twist on a classic summer favorite. Sweet matcha tea, pear-goat cheese, rhubarb-buttermilk, blueberry-basil and avocado are just a few of the over 50 unique flavor experiences Pete’s Pops offers on a rotating…
5 cool sips for your summer picnic
This is the summer of the picnic. With so many restrictions on events and large gatherings, our social lives have moved almost entirely outdoors. A picnic is an easy alternative to going out that invites a huge amount of creativity. It can entail everything from dance parties and board games to massive takeout meals and…
Taco Buddha closes patio, returns to curbside-only service
Just weeks after St. Louis restaurants reopened under special guidelines in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Taco Buddha in University City has decided to put its limited seating patio service temporarily on hold again. In an email sent on June 30, owner Kurt Eller and his team apologized for “being inconsistent and inconveniencing any of…
Caribbean transplant Jerk Soul survived two hurricanes and a pandemic to serve St. Louis
For many restaurant owners, the coronavirus pandemic is an unrivaled obstacle in a notoriously precarious industry. But for Jerk Soul’s Zahra Spencer and Telie Woods, it maybe ranks in the top five. Opening a successful independent restaurant is a small miracle under ordinary circumstances and Spencer and Woods have held onto Jerk Soul through two…
First Look: Clementine’s Creamery in Lake Saint Louis
Though the Clementine’s Naughty & Nice Creamery empire has been steadily growing over the past few years, unveiling nationwide delivery and garnering mentions everywhere from Oprah Magazine’s The O List to Forbes, they had yet to put a brick-and-mortar outside of St. Louis city and county proper. That is, until today, Wednesday, July 1, when…
First Look: 9 Mile Garden in Affton
Missouri’s first food truck garden, 9 Mile Garden, opens Friday, July 3, at 9375 Gravois Road in Affton. The grand opening celebration of the 86,000-square-foot park stretches through the weekend, ending Sunday, July 5. After the grand opening, the garden will be open for lunch and dinner service Monday through Saturday featuring a rotating selection…
Peanut Dipping Sauce
About 1 cup
Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce
8 spring rolls
Miso Potato Salad
4 servings
New food truck Crescendo will open in Fenton on Fourth of July
Crescendo, an open-air food truck, is slated to open at 101 Old Sugar Creek Road in Fenton on July 4. With a tagline of “street food reimagined,” the truck will feature a rotating selection of dishes utilizing as many local products as possible. Options include a house-made hot dog in a bed of potato hay…
The Midwestern, Wheelhouse and Start Bar shutter again due to pandemic
As St. Louis proceeds with its reopening process, three downtown establishments are backtracking. Although they did not specifically cite COVID as the cause, The Midwestern, Wheelhouse and Start Bar have announced via social media they have once again closed for an indefinite period of time to maintain staff and customer safety. Prior to the announcement, all three businesses were open…
First Look: Olive + Oak in Webster Groves
Not everything about the eagerly anticipated – OK, extremely hyped – new Olive + Oak is new. If fans of the original restaurant’s dynamic menu are worried about missing their favorite dishes or drinks, they shouldn’t be. “Not at all,” said owner Mark Hinkle. According to him, the philosophy here is simple: new digs, same approach.…
Eckert’s will open its summer market in St. Louis County on Friday
Eckert’s Farm will open a seasonal market at 79 Nationalway Shopping Center in Manchester this Friday, June 26. This marks the second year Eckert’s will be utilizing the old Office Depot building, a result of both the unavailability of the previous Gravois location and an effort to bring the Belleville, Illinois, farm’s products a bit closer…
Hi-Pointe Drive-In’s O’Fallon, Illinois, location will open this fall
Fresh off the heels of Chicken Out, their new fried chicken joint in the Loop (peep the First Look here), Hi-Pointe Drive-In owners are developing another new restaurant. This fall, a third Hi-Pointe Drive-In will open its doors in O’Fallon, Illinois, at 531 W. Hwy 50. The restaurant was originally slated to open in late…
Parlor and Takashima Records are closed in The Grove due to sexual misconduct claims
This week, numerous claims have been made on social media by patrons of bars Parlor and Takashima Records that owners and employees have engaged in sexual misconduct. As a result, both bars have temporarily closed in order to investigate the claims. Both had recently reopened after an extended closure due to COVID-19. “Takashima Records…
Pi Pizzeria will take over Filomena’s location in Glendale in late July
Pi Pizzeria is opening its fifth location at 9900 Manchester Road in Glendale, the former home of Filomena’s Italian Kitchen, in late July, and the 1,500-square-foot space will also house another concept: ¡Rico! “We’ve been toying with this Gringo spinoff concept for a year or so now, and coronavirus put those plans on hold, but then…
Savage restaurant in Fox Park changes name to Shift to promote inclusivity
Savage, which was named a Sauce Best New Restaurant in 2018, has changed its name to Shift to part ways with the word’s troubled connotations. The modern American restaurant opened at 2655 Ann Ave. in the Fox Park neighborhood in 2018 and received some criticism for its name. “Way in the beginning, I got two messages on Instagram…
First Look: Mission Taco Joint in Kirkwood
It’s a weird time to open a 12,000-square-foot restaurant and arcade. Nobody knows this more than Mission Taco Joint co-owners Adam and Jason Tilford, whose newest Mission outpost opens at 105 E. Jefferson Ave. on Wednesday, June 24. But as veteran restaurateurs, they’re prepared to turn the Kirkwood spot (which occupies the previous Kirkwood Station Brewing…
A modernized Parkmoor Drive-In will open in the old Webster Groves Half & Half space July 4
A 21st century version of The Parkmoor Drive-In is slated to open in the former Half & Half location at 220 W. Lockwood Ave. in Webster Groves on July 4, as reported by St. Louis Magazine. The project is co-owned by husband-and-wife team Frank Romano and Laura Burns and embodies their desire to provide St. Louisans with the same warm,…
Lulu’s Local Eatery on South Grand is for sale
South Grand vegan hotspot Lulu’s Local Eatery announced today in a Facebook post (below) that the turnkey restaurant “including branding, recipes and equipment” is up for sale due to “personal health reasons.” Lauren “Lulu” Loomis and her husband Robbie Tucker started Lulu’s as a food truck in April 2012 with great success, and opened the…
The Webster Groves Half & Half is permanently closed
The second location of Half & Half at 220 W. Lockwood Ave. in Webster Groves has closed permanently. Co-owners Liz and Mike Randolph opened the Webster location in 2017 after extensive renovations of the space, which had previously housed First Watch Cafe. Liz confirmed the closure but was not available for further comment. Established in…
Southside Wine + Spirits will move to a new location July 1
Southside Wine + Spirits in St. Louis Hills is moving across the street to 4920 Hampton Ave. in the Southampton neighborhood on July 1. The new location is double the size of the original, which opened Oct. 31 of last year, and will have a focus on canned wines and cocktails, as well as local…
Six Mile Bridge Beer in Maryland Heights reopens with full-service kitchen and expanded taproom
After closing its doors for renovations, which turned into a longer closure due to the coronavirus, Six Mile Bridge Beer at 11841 Dorsett Road in Maryland Heights reopened on Tuesday, June 16, with an expanded taproom and new kitchen. “We shut down in March for renovations,” said co-owner Lindsay Sherring. “We didn’t realize it would be for…
First Look: Chicken Out in the Loop
As the Delmar Loop continues its renaissance, adding new buildings and living spaces oriented at Washington University students, the team behind Sugarfire Smoke House and Hi-Pointe Drive-In has thrown their own vibe into the mix. Today, Wednesday, June 17, their new restaurant, Chicken Out, opens at 6197 Delmar Blvd. With a menu centered around “faster-casual…
Beast Craft BBQ is opening a third spot and expanding service at The Grove location
The Beast Craft BBQ Co. empire is growing. A third location, Beast Southern Kitchen & BBQ, is slated to open later this summer at 1280 Columbia Center in Columbia, Illinois. Visitors of the new spot can expect the same quality barbecue featured at Belleville’s Beast Craft BBQ Co. and The Grove’s Beast Butcher & Block, but with…
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Celebrating the Local Food Movement virtual event slated for June 15
In an effort to promote sustainable food-related practices, St. Louis-based Green Dining Alliance is hosting the #EatGreenSTL Virtual Symposium from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday, June 15. The event from St. Louis Earth Day is one in a series celebrating the 50th anniversary of Earth Day in place of a large, in-person celebration during the pandemic. The theme for…
St. Louis breweries put unique spin on Black is Beautiful stout to aid police brutality reform
Several local breweries are participating in Black is Beautiful, a collaboration drawing attention to racial injustice and promoting inclusivity within the brewing community. Weathered Souls Brewing Co., a Black-owned brewery in San Antonio, Texas, provides a stout base recipe and label design to participating breweries, who will then place their own unique twist on the…
First Look: American Falafel in the Delmar Loop
Moh Qadadeh was a vice president at MasterCard for 18 years. For the past decade, he traveled extensively for the company, mostly back and forth to Dubai. “I reconnected with the Mediterranean food that I had over there,” he said. “I wanted to have that here for everyone in St. Louis to try.” So he…
Sardella’s Brian Moxey will take over as executive chef at Pastaria when its dining room reopens Wednesday
When the COVID-19 pandemic sent a shockwave through the St. Louis dining community in March, Pastaria was one of the first restaurants to decide to close. Tomorrow, Wednesday, June 10, the restaurant will reopen its dining room with limited seating (25% capacity, according to the county’s current reopening guidelines) and increased social distancing and sanitation measures.…
Why you should try the turkey ribs at Gobble Stop Smokehouse
A family barbecue joint run by Seventh-day Adventists, Gobble Stop Smokehouse in Creve Coeur does things differently than most St. Louis ‘cue spots. It’s not open on Saturdays, and there is no pork, which the religion abjures. Yet seven members of the Howard family have reconfigured smoked turkey into a series of clever dishes that will…
BeerSauce Shop opens second location, signs lease on a third spot
BeerSauce Shop, a St. Peters establishment known for its craft beer, bourbon and sauce tasting experience, opened a second location at 3880 Lindbergh Blvd. in Sunset Hills in mid-May and will open a third location in Ballwin later this year. Fans of BeerSauce, which opened in St. Peters in 2017, can expect the same interactive…
Local Chef Kitchen will close its doors in Ballwin
Local Chef Kitchen will close its doors on June 13, according to a message posted on its Facebook yesterday, June 5. In the emotional note, owner Mitzi Uyemura talked about her husband, executive chef Rob Uyemura, who passed this February after a two year battle with cancer. “He was the driving force behind the restaurant,…
St. Louis chefs unite for the Bakers for Black Lives fundraiser on Sunday
A diverse group of St. Louis-area bakers are coming together for the Bakers for Black Lives event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, June 7, at The Vino Gallery at 4701 McPherson Ave. in the Central West End. This fundraiser is in response to the heightened civil unrest across the country and world and embodies the hope to…
Food truck park 9 Mile Garden will host grand opening July 3 to 5
Plenty of green space, live music and scores of local eats will soon help usher in summer in St. Louis as 9 Mile Garden, Missouri’s first food truck garden, will officially open Friday, July 3, at 9375 Gravois Road in Affton. Grand opening celebrations continue Saturday and Sunday, with regular hours (closed Sundays) beginning the…
Cathy’s Kitchen owner Cathy Jenkins on feeding Ferguson through the pandemic and George Floyd protests
Located steps away from the Ferguson Police Department, Cathy’s Kitchen became a gathering place for journalists and protesters of police violence after Michael Brown, an African American 18-year-old, was shot and killed by a white Ferguson police officer in 2014. Not that location is the only reason, of course. “I’m going to say too, I…
First Look: Zenwich in the Central West End
When people move to a new city, they usually have to leave their favorite restaurants behind. In the case of Zenwich, restaurateur Chai Ploentham (Blue Ocean Restaurant) has found a way to bring his favorite Chicago sandwich shop with him to St. Louis. Yesterday, Monday, June 1, he opened the restaurant’s second location at 8…
Support these Black-owned restaurants in St. Louis
Where you spend your money matters. One way to support people of color in St. Louis is by frequenting the many exceptional Black-owned shops and restaurants in our city. If you notice anyone missing from this list, please email pr@saucemagazine.com. @Monroe, 2299 N. Florissant Ave., St. Louis, 314.626.0825, atmonroe.com 12oh7 Herban Eatery, 314.637.9410, 12oh7eats.com AAA…
You need to eat this double cheeseburger from The Midwestern
The double cheeseburger at The Midwestern is a burger that has the power to lure you from your home. Chef Ben Welch puts two course-ground patties of dry-aged brisket, gooey house-made pub cheese, zingy fry sauce and a tart tomato jam between a fluffy-soft egg bun. With their dining room officially open as of May 21,…
