Brenden Moore
The State Journal-Register
The owners of Obed and Isaac’s Microbrewery & Eatery have purchased the former Paris Cleaners building, 910 South Grand Ave. W., with plans to convert it to a neighborhood “snug” pub.
COURT and KAREN CONN, proprietors of the eponymous hospitality group that operates the popular downtown microbrewery along with The Inn at 835 and Wm. Van’s Coffee, took possession of the property late last year. It had been vacant since July, when the dry-cleaning business closed after 110 years in business.
The purchase price was not immediately disclosed.
The Conns’ plans for the 855-square foot space include a bar with seating along with a small lounge area. There would also be a small outdoor seating area.
In an interview Friday afternoon, Karen Conn said it is “not going to be the run-of-the-mill tavern concept,” but instead “a neighborhood snug pub” more commonly found in Europe. She said it would cater to residents of the surrounding neighborhood.
“It’s the local hangout, it’s the local part of that neighborhood fabric where people get together and they socialize and they’re comfortable and it feels like home to them,” Conn said of the concept.
Conn, who has resided in the area for several years, said this type of establishment has recently been lacking along the MacArthur Boulevard corridor.
“We used to frequent Ross Isaac’s because it was a neighborhood restaurant, a neighborhood lounge that we could go and unwind for the evening, have a few drinks and easily get home,” she said. “And then when Ross Isaac’s closed, there was nowhere to go.”
Ever since, the idea to open a place along the corridor had been “on the back-burner,” with the couple waiting for the right property to open up. And then last year, the stars aligned.
Ward 7 Ald. JOE MCMENAMIN characterized the project as “exciting” and “positive” for the neighborhood.
“This really enhances that corner even further with quality operations,” he said. “Court and Karen Conn develop in a very clever and popular manner. They understand the neighborhood that they invest in and this will be a very positive development for MacArthur Boulevard.”
It would be a second recent positive development for the southeast corner of MacArthur and South Grand, which added a Free Press Coffee location in 2018.
The couple will need to obtain a conditional permitted use permit before beginning construction. But if all goes according to plan, Conn said the hope is to be open by June.
Conn said they are working with a distributor to determine beer selection, but said it will likely include an array of European beers along with American standards. And yes, some Obed and Isaac’s brews are likely to be included as well.
Given the small size of the property, Conn said there are currently no plans to include a kitchen at the site, though they are exploring partnerships to provide prearranged items.
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Joe McMenamin for Ward 7 