Written by Liz Miller
Visuals by Ella Manthey
The front entryway of The Thaxton cuts a memorable figure.
From the custom Art Deco-inspired aluminum sign, made by St. Louis Fabrication Arts, aloft the building and the welcoming awning above the door to the stunning ornamental terrazzo and bronze flooring in the entry. A step inside the front door reveals a riot of color, pattern, and opulence befitting the Jazz Age space, built in 1927. This is where events, from weddings to corporate gatherings, take place, with a view of the second-level balcony rising above the lovingly restored main floor.
But it’s the entrance on the side of the building, where guests step inside the Thaxton Speakeasy, that truly immerses you in the full experience.
“When we’re open to the public as a speakeasy, you would never walk in through the front door: You would come to the back alley, ring the doorbell. And hopefully you know the password,” says Kimberly Pitliangas, owner and operator of The Thaxton and the Thaxton Speakeasy, with a laugh. “But truthfully, if somebody shows up without the password, they’ll get in eventually. They might have to suffer a little more at the door, but that’s kind of how that works — then you’re getting the full speakeasy experience.”
Pitliangas’ father, Mark Thaxton Pitliangas, began restoring the three-story building at 1009 Olive Street in 2002, which originally housed Eastman Kodak. The company originally built it as a prototype display space for its popular camera and film products, while the goal of replicating similar retail spaces across the U.S. Those plans never materialized, however, due to the economic downturn caused by the Great Depression. By the time Mark Thaxton Pitliangas acquired the building, it required significant restoration to bring it back to its original Art Deco glory.
“It sat vacant forever, and about 30 years ago, my father purchased the building and did the renovation. He really just fell in love with it architecturally,” Pitliangas says. “And then 18 years ago, I came along and opened my business within the space, which really initially was just intended to be the speakeasy, but I quickly realized that I’m also in the wedding and events business.”
Today, Pitliangas runs a thriving events business alongside the speakeasy, which typically opens at 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, depending on the events schedule (she notes to check the speakeasy’s Instagram account for its weekly hours).
As Pitliangas described, guests at the speakeasy enter through a door on the side of the building with a password (you can find those in all caps on Instagram as well). From there, you descend a flight of stairs or take the elevator to the speakeasy, which reveals a visual feast for the eyes similar to the event space above. Each corner of the intimate space is adorned with thoughtful, Jazz Age-inspired art and touches, with the room’s centerpiece being its impressive bar, custom made by Pitliangas’ father.
The speakeasy’s drink list features playful twists on classic cocktails, like the Blueberry Sage French 75 and the Cam Fashioned, an Old Fashioned kicked up a notch with the addition of cinnamon syrup and chocolate bitters. Some of the drink names nod to legends of the 1920s like Frida Kahlo and Josephine Baker (a St. Louis native), and many of them can be made without alcohol as well.
“The current menu ranges from champagne cocktails to you name it — we have every kind of spirit,” Pitliangas says “We make all of the syrups and juices and everything in-house, but we’re not super complicated with that. We just focus on things being fresh, number one, simple, and pretty quick to get across the bar.”
Pitliangas estimates that about 85 percent of her speakeasy guests are out-of-town visitors who either hear about her through word of mouth or on the internet. She’s proud to provide a welcoming place for visitors to gather and learn more about the city she loves.
“I really do love being an ambassador for the city, because I feel like I know that they’re going to have had a good experience by coming here, and hopefully that sticks and it makes them talk about it, makes them want to come back and tell other people,” Pitliangas says. “So any chance I get, I want to also tell them, ‘Check out this place, check out that place,’ because that’s how our city’s going to grow.”
In November, the speakeasy will celebrate 19 years of serving drinks and community in Downtown St. Louis. Pitliangas is proud of the stewardship she and her father have led in their corner of the neighborhood, and she’s hopeful to continue that legacy for many years to come.
“As long as I can keep doing it, I’m gonna try,” she says. “I think I’m up to the challenge. It’s about legacy too, and about stewardship of a historic space.”