EAST ALTON, Ill. — An East Alton sports bar is closing this week and will be replaced by a new location of Metro East chain Joe’s Pizza and Pasta.
J.J. Thermo’s Bar and Grill has been in operation for nearly three years at 17 EastGate Plaza in East Alton. With live music every Friday and Saturday night, an outside patio and a private dining room, J.J. Thermo’s opened in EastGate Plaza as the strip mall finished up renovations in 2019.
The restaurant’s last day of business will be Friday, Dec. 31, according to a social media post from J.J. Thermo’s. The decision came on short notice to the owners, the restaurant said in a comment on the post.
The sports bar is closed Monday and will reopen Tuesday and the remainder of the week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The restaurant encouraged anyone with gift cards to use them this week.
“It is with heavy hearts that we have decided to close our doors as J.J. Thermo’s,” the restaurant posted Monday, adding, “Thank you again for all of your support and kindness.”
The restaurant will be succeeded by Joe’s Pizza and Pasta, which will open in March 2022, according to the post. Joe’s has 14 existing locations in central and southern Illinois, with locations near St. Louis in Collinsville, Fairview Heights, Edwardsville, Columbia, Troy, Godfrey, Greenville and Vandalia.
All retail real estate in the Metro East, according to a third quarter report from Newmark Zimmer, had a vacancy rate of 3.7% and 2% for small-shop retail — one of the lowest in the St. Louis region, which, as a whole, posted vacancy rates of 4.7% overall and 2.2% for small-shop retail.
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