County of structure: St. Louis County
Location of building: S. Kirkwood Rd. & W. Monroe Ave, NW corner, Kirkwood
Built: 1870s - remodeled 1939
Architects: Unknoan
Architectural Style: Commercial
Current Occupant: Spencer's Grill
Hard to see the colors in my shot with the light lit, it was still daylight. But, the name is red the parking is green, and the clock is blue. Still a historic sign, and a designated local landmark.
"223 S. Kirkwood Road. Spencer’s Grill. ca. 1870s. Exterior Renovation, 1939, Historic
Sign, 1948.
Architect, unknown. Contractor, unknown. Contributing.
This is a two-story corner building with stucco and a hipped roof and two simple chimneys, one
on each side piercing the roof. It has a metal cornice below the roof line and a wood shingle
awning at the top of the first floor. There are sashed windows with six windows on the main
façade, one of which is infilled with a vent and three windows along the side wall. The storefront
façade is faced with vinyl siding on the first floor around the doors and plate glass windows (in
1986 it was vertical board siding in this area) and there are three entrances. On the south street
elevation, under the continuation of the wood shingled awning are two additional plate glass
windows. It appears that this building may have never had a storefront display window system.
"The Spencer’s Grill sign is historic, dating to 1948 shortly after the business reopened in this
location; the sign has been designated a local landmark." ~ NRHP Nomination Form, PDF pages 34-35
"223 S. Kirkwood Road. Spencer’s Grill. ca. 1870s, Exterior Renovation, 1939, Historic
Sign, 1948.
Architect, unknown. Contractor, unknown. Contributing.
This building appears to date back to the 1870s, appearing on the 1878 Pitzman map and
identified as Bopp, Jr.’s property, a family name intimately connected with much of Kirkwood’s
history. The brick two-story building, identified as two storefronts, is also shown on the 1903
fire insurance map. In 1939, a permit was issued for a new storefront, probably when the stucco
was applied to the building. In 1910 both Otto Bopp and Charles Straub are listed in this
building, but not identified as businesses. The first identified business, Charles McDonald’s shoe
repair was located in the 221 storefront in 1928 but was replaced by Phil Hallof by 1932, who
stayed at least through 1943. Considered a major institution, Spencer’s Grill moved into the
building at 221-223 S. Kirkwood Road after World War II. William Spencer opened his original
Spencer’s Grill at 303 S. Kirkwood Road in March 1941, but by September 1943, he had to close
the grill because he had been drafted. When he returned from military service, he reopened in
this new location on October 14, 1947, operating the diner 24 hours a day. The neon sign on the
front of the building, which declares “Spencer’s Grill Park in Rear” dates to 1948 when the Grill
was remodeled with new fixtures (This sign has been designated a local landmark.). In 1973, the mansard awning and some windows were replaced, and today the business is still a major fixture
in the community." ~ NRHP Nomination Form, PDF pages 84-85
"Built: ca 1870
This building is primarily read as a two story rectangular block
with a flat roof featuring an overhang of the roof-line as well
as a projecting overhang which spans the primary elevation and
wraps around onto the south elevation. The rear of this building
is irregular in plan. There is a small one story frame room
addition attached to 223. The back of 223 projects further than
the back of 221. The first level of the primary elevation has
been covered with board and batten style wood siding material.
There are three primary entrances at this level. They feature
single-leaf wood doors. The entrance for 223 features a lattice
style light in the upper half, the other two entrances are within
recessions and they feature large three-quarter length
rectangular lights. The primary elevation as well as the south
elevation feature fixed store front-facing windows. The second
level of the building features double-hung wood sash windows with
large wood lug sills and segmental arches. An neon sign projects
from this building which says "Spencers Grill".
"1. Permit #4413, 7/8/39 - new store front - owner, John P.
Schmitz.
2. Permit # 1490, 7/1/47 - cut 2 windows in south wall of
brick building.
3. Permit #9086, 5/23/73 - add facia canopy and mansard
roof; replace windows.
"This is a small lot with an asphalt parking lot in the rear
yard." ~ DNR Historic Inventory, Phase III PDF pages 1462-1465