ST. LOUIS — Armory STL, a massive entertainment complex in Midtown St. Louis, will "temporarily close," the venue announced on Facebook.
Leadership at the Armory, which billed itself as the biggest bar in St. Louis, is looking for more money to stay afloat.
The $60 million venue featured nearly six acres to play, eat and drink in its 205,000 square-foot space.
5 On Your Side learned about 100 employees were laid off.
The news came as a shock to some staff members, who were alerted in a text message the night prior.
This was the text received from a manager:
"Everyone, I apologize this is how we have to let you all know this information. As the newest manager I also apologize some of y'all haven't met me. "Unfortunately upper management has informed us that we are closing the venue effective immediately. This was the last time we will open the doors. We have closed down and any shifts past this point do not need to be covered.
"We wish you well and I again apologize profusely that this is the way we have to tell everyone.
"Any questions please feel free to reach out to the management staff."
5 On Your Side spoke to a kitchen manager on Wednesday morning who confirmed it was their last day. He'd been there since it opened and was looking at a job nearby at Puttshack.
Jacob Kirn with the St. Louis Business Journal reports the Armory's owner, Green Street, is seeking more financing to finish the project. Green Street Real Estate Ventures principal Phil Hulse said an additional $7-$8 million was required to finish projects at Armory.
The extra money was needed to complete:
- The lower level as a private event space, roller rink and restaurant
- A rooftop bar on the east end of the building
Hulse told the Business Journal they are seeking partners with more cash and he anticipates the temporary closing will last about 30 days.
Read more from the St. Louis Business Journal.
Hours after rumors swirled on social media, the Armory posted a statement on its Facebook:
"It's pretty simple... the landlord was supposed to fund the buildout of the whole thing," said Jacob Miller, creator of the Armory concept, in a statement posted on Facebook. "When only a fraction was funded, we were left with an incomplete project and were drowning in debt. We are working to restructure the whole thing."
Partnership
In 2022, Green Street partnered with food-and-beverage entertainment experts Jacob Miller and Chris Honstain to create Brick + Bev, a Green Street affiliate operating the entertainment complex.
5 On Your Side spoke to Miller Wednesday afternoon.
Miller said Green Street is the landlord and they were a tenant. The first phase of their project opened in December 2022.
Miller explained Green Street was going to fund the entire project, but that didn't happen and it started to go in debt.
While the concept worked and thousands came in, Miller said they didn't have the capital.
According to the St. Louis Business Journal, business was booming in the beginning.
In the first six weeks, more than 150,000 people stepped through the doors, hitting daily highs of 13,000 on Saturdays,
During its first year of operations, the venue attracted one million people, Hulse said, though attendance had slowed down.
Green Street has been involved in several lawsuits. One suit accuses Green Street of failing to pay for close to $400,000 in HVAC equipment at the Armory.
According to court documents, there at least six pending legal cases in St. Louis Circuit Court involving the Armory.
Metro East mom left scrambling
Beyond the unemployed workers, Kristina Hobbs was also left scrambling. She thought the Armory was the perfect place for her husband's 35th birthday.
"The Armory is a place you can have fun, play games," Hobbs said.
About six weeks ago, she booked a private event and paid in full with a credit card.
This week, the Metro East mom reached out.
She explained the coordinator was responsive at first, but as the date inched closer, she wanted more information and she finally got a response.
"We were literally messaging last night at 8 p.m. and I woke up this morning to my friend texting me," Hobbs said.
That's when she saw rumors on social media.
"I reached out a couple of times, I've emailed, no answer," she told 5 On Your Side. "I have 48 hours to get 40 people and figure it out."
She put less than $500 down and with a newborn, she noted, the refund could've been a remedy for her family of six. Hobbs filed a claim with the credit card company.
The mom of four was eager for a gathering.
"As a parent, you're excited to have a night out to do something with just your husband. I have a newborn, I've been on mom duty for four months. It was nice to have a night out planned for four hours and see our friends who we haven't seen in a long time," she said.
Hobbs' experience wasn't totally soured.
Four other St. Louis businesses stepped in, including The Factory, Puttshack, Topgolf and Ballpark Village, as an alternate place to celebrate.
"That tells you that we have awesome local businesses trying to help people in times like this," Hobb added.
What's next
Miller told 5 On Your Side, while the idea to reopen is 30 days, he believes it could take a couple of months.
St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment, known as SLATE, plans to host a hiring fair for those impacted workers.