What's Next?

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Here's our take on the biggest and best of '06 and What's Next in aught-seven. As someone wise once said "If you don't learn from history, you suck." Or something like that.

Big nightlife trend ending in "Y": Luxury

The sit-and-chat, high-end lounge experience perfected at Bodega Bar, MudLounge and various Jalili-owned restaurants like Red Room and the Touch bar has expanded to venues like Agrario and Level 2, with several other projects in the works.
What's Next: Comedy
Sir Gregory's went the way of the dodo with barely a whisper, but local entrepreneurs took note that the lone comedy club capable of booking a big (or at least recognizable) name was gone. Harpo's made the first move, and has delivered some names, though they are taking a temporary hiatus until "the weather gets warmer." Who else will jump in the game? It's only a matter of time.

New restaurant: Fire & Ice

Okay, so it's tacky to show horse races when people are trying to enjoy an exquisite dinner, but that doesn't make Fire & Ice any less appealing. With noted Executive Chef Wing Leong (his father invented Springfield-style cashew chicken), a splendid menu and its understated-but-still-brilliant ice bar, Fire & Ice is one of the few local eateries that transcends restaurants to become a destination.
What's Next: Kai
In many people's minds, the good folks at Haruno can do no wrong. Therefore, Haruno's still-in-the-womb sister restaurant, Kai, ought to be a smash. Located at McDaniel Street and Campbell Avenue downtown, the owners hope to open the split-level nightspot (restaurant upstairs, lounge below) by late January. With College Station already turning dirt we kind of doubt it'll be that soon, but Kai still ought to be the opening of the year.

Chain restaurant invasion: Quizno's

Is it us, or did a Quizno's open on every corner in 2006? Not that we're complaining-the flatbread salads and meat-stuffed subs are yummy. Will they all make it through the sandwich wars? Probably not, but the chain is definitely here to stay. Honorable mention: Taco Bueno.
What's Next: Jimmy John's
Hooray! After christening Springfield with its slap-your-mama downtown location, then schmoozing them with a South National store, Jimmy John's is set to explode its sassiness all over town with new stores on South Glenstone Avenue (at Grand Street) and North Kansas Expressway.

Dining trend: tapas

Really just a fancy name for "appetizers," tapas started popping up everywhere last year, as many lounges moved to a lighter-eats menu. As the popularity has grown, so has the sophistication and variety; Ophelia's Wine and Tapas Bar is the latest step in the tapas evolution.
What's Next: sit-down chains
Doe's did it. J. Buck's is trying to do it. They're chains that don't feel like chains, and as lease prices go up across town, you can expect more established and interesting (read: not Cheddar's) eateries to open their doors. Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, for example, will open early this year on South Glenstone.

Sad restaurant closing: Pairings

Sorry, Charlie's Chicken. The real loss of '06 was this quirky, ritzy spot in Nixa (really Springfield South). Two and a half months has done nothing to dull our pain at losing Pairings' Black Cat Lounge, excellent wine menu and fabulous brunch.
What's Next: to be decided
Any place that still assumes that foreign-sounding items on the menu will bring in lots of discerning, free-spending customers is on the chopping block. Is this a copout pick? Maybe, but we'll go on the record with our weariness of places with no real menu concept except to sound un-Springfield. There are too many now for there not to be casualties.

New bar: Level 2

We nearly chewed our nails to the quick deciding between Level 2 and Big Whiskey's. In the end we decided on Level 2 for the sheer differentness of the place. No beers on tap (bottles are poured into Riedel-style glasses), a gate blocking the red-carpeted staircase leading to the bar from Trolley's and drinks like The Anastasia (Red Bull and champagne) make it the new standard-bearer for hipness.
What's Next: Tonic Ultralounge
Park Central East is the place to be, no? Due sometime in April, plans call for Tonic to be connected to the Gillioz Theatre on Park Central East and offer yet another big city-like lounge option (its inspiration, according to owners Stephen Allison and Dustin Bowman, is Las Vegas's Red Square). While you probably shouldn't expect to see Britney's foofkie downtown, Tonic could indeed be the crème de la 2007 club crop. Look for an opening sometime in May or June.

Mecca for loft-dwellers: Commercial Street

About a year ago we ran a cover story in this magazine breaking down the city's and private developers' plans for Commercial Street. Some of those plans (lofts for lease, the C-Street Jam music festival) have come to fruition. Others (music venue Lindberg's, for instance) have yet to break out. But the lofts? They seem to be doing just fine.
What's Next: The Jordan Valley corridor
The downtown district that includes Jordan Valley Park, Hammons Field and lots of recoverable land all the way to Grant Avenue should continue to develop as the Jordan Valley Innovation Center nears completion. Lofts are already occupied in the Waterton Place building at Boonville and Water streets-the kind you can buy, not just lease. Developer Craig Wagoner's Lofts at Jordan Creek will go on presale later this month in the old Springfield Paintball building near the corner of National Avenue and Chestnut Expressway, with occupants scheduled to move in in January 2008.

Athlete: Blake Ahearn

The Missouri State Bears guard is one of the most popular local hoopsters in years (who doesn't love a somewhat cocky, hard-playing sharpshooter?). As a senior, Ahearn will try to take the Bears to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1999, which could land him in this spot next year
What's Next: Colby Rasmus
Okay, so there's a chance he won't even play in Springfield, but the Cardinals' top minor league prospect tore up Single-A last year at Palm Beach, so Double-A Springfield would be a logical step in 2007. Pundits say he's the heir apparent to Jim Edmonds in St. Louis...and the kid's only 20. If we're lucky enough to see him roving center field at Hammons this year, it'll be a fun summer indeed.

Craze that fizzed out: pub crawls

We know, they're not dead. If anything there are more pub crawls than ever. But with last year's quiet death of the Downtown Dining and Entertainment Committee, organization of the crawls has fallen to an overworked group of bar owners...we say let 'em die. If you want to organize an all-downtown costume party for Halloween that's great, but as it stands right now we get an overpriced wristband and still can only make it to two or three bars.
What's Next: Female Exploitation Nights
The first nail in this sexist coffin came with the (temporary?) closing of Cowboys 2000, thus ending its booty contests. The two other spots for gawking at wet T-shirts and thongs-Midnight Rodeo and Traffic Downtown Club-no longer allow minors. There's nothing to indicate that either the Rodeo or Traffic is closing at this point-we certainly don't want them to-but we wouldn't cry if they decided to banish onstage chauvinism to the strip clubs.

Empire in the making: Big Whiskey's

Last year Paul Sundy joined the Zackrisons and Jalilis of Springfield as a multi-awesome venue owner by opening Big Whiskey's, the laid-back beer-and-burgers joint on Park Central East. He's also working on plans for a new southside venture, Parlor 88, with Ernie Biggs owner Jay Hickman.
What's Next: Monarch Art Factory
Though Randy Bacon Studio and Art Gallery and Blacksuits Creative have been working out of this amazing new space at College Street and Main Avenue for well over a month, the businesses will celebrate their Grand Openings along with the rest of the Art Factory's occupants at the January 5 First Friday Art Walk. Bacon's gallery is the anchor, with tons of space for his work and a gorgeous stage for Gallery Sounds concerts; the rest of the tenants help further his mission of spreading the arts in Springfield and growing downtown's footprint by luring Art Walk crowds a few blocks further west.