The Sovereign celebrates grand opening
St. Louis’ newest independent concert venue, The Sovereign, celebrated its recent opening with an official ribbon cutting Oct. 29 at 3306 Washington Blvd. in St. Louis’ Grand Center Arts District.
Created in partnership with and operated by Old Rock House, an entertainment venue located in downtown St. Louis, The Sovereign is the brainchild of Lawrence Group and New + Found CEO Steve Smith, Kranzberg Arts Foundation Executive Director Chris Hansen, and Old Rock House Managing Partner Tim Weber.
“St. Louis is a true music city and we are thrilled to have The Sovereign become part of the Grand Center ecosystem, further cementing its place as a top arts district in the country,” said Hansen.
Weber said he hopes to have at least 40 shows booked at The Sovereign by the end of the year, with artists Josh Meloy, Josh Ritter, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Pieces of a Dream, Black Stone Cherry, Noise Pollution: The AC/DC Experience, Android Paranoid, Voodoo Tom Petty, and Dr. Zhivegas among the artists already scheduled for 2025.
“My singular goal with The Sovereign is to embody the independent spirit of musical artists through a physical venue,” said Weber. “This place has been an absolute labor of love, and I am thrilled to finally introduce it to the great music community in St. Louis.”
Weber said he has hired 28 new staff members, for a total of 50 employees to work between The Sovereign and Old Rock House, depending on the staffing needs at each venue.
Completion of The Sovereign rides the wave of recent, positive economic development in St. Louis’ Grand Center East area, which recently witnessed the $125 million renovation of historic Powell Hall, home to the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra; the Angad Arts Hotel joining Hilton’s Tapestry Collection; a new tenant in the former Bulrush StL Restaurant; and development of The Key – Burger Bar & Boogie set to open this month in two historic Olive Street properties that once faced demolition.
Smith, who also orchestrated the redevelopment of City Foundry STL in St. Louis’ Midtown neighborhood, says The Sovereign will bolster St. Louis’ reputation as a national live music destination.
“St. Louis has been without a live music venue of this size for some time; The Sovereign fills that void in St. Louis’ growing music scene,” said Smith. “Having a music venue like this not only contributes to the arts, but also to the economic success of the surrounding businesses and the overall Grand Center Arts District itself. I thank everyone who put the time and effort into making The Sovereign a reality. It’s been a really exciting journey.”
The Sovereign occupies the former Pavyer Printing Machine Works building, constructed in 1922 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The single-story, brick building was also the former home of Beckley Ralston Company, an auto retail and service business that sold REO Speed Wagon trucks and assembled RCA speakers.
Lawrence Group, in collaboration with general contractor Integrate Construction Partners, worked to transform the century-old building into the state-of-the-art, 1,200-capacity concert venue featuring a 40 ft x 32 ft stage, two dedicated green rooms with bathroom/shower, hospitality suite, large lobby area, and two full-service bars and portable bar. The venue is also designed to be fully accessible.
Designers worked to incorporate elements of the building’s original interior into its redesign, from its exposed brick walls, historic wood-framed storefront, mezzanine, and grand staircase to its high ceilings and classic white mosaic tile floor.