By Scott Cronick
When Ken Schaffer bought the historic building that is now The Inn on St. Louis, he bought the Egg Harbor City location for the Real Estate, particularly the five apartments above the legendary bar that sits underneath.
He never thought he would be a restaurant operator, surmising that someone would certainly want to rent the space that has been home to a variety of things over the last 100-plus years that the building was constructed, including the historic Roesch Hotel, McKee’s Irish Pub and, more recently, The Egg Harbor Festhaus & Biergarten, which closed in 2018.
To make a long story short, Schaffer was issued an indirect challenge. And Schaffer, a radio veteran, DJ and entrepreneur, loves a good challenge.
“I love older structures, and this place intrigued me,” said Schaffer, who said The Inn on St. Louis structure was built somewhere between 1870 and 1890. “What some people see as problems, I see as opportunity. So, I took the building and did a lot of restoration work, rented all of the apartments out, and there were no takers for the restaurant side of things. Everyone was saying I could never make it as a restaurant in Egg Harbor City, so I took that as a challenge. I couldn’t leave it empty – the liquor license was already on the shelf for a bout a year – so The Inn on St. Louis was born.”
History in the making
The Inn on St. Louis, after more renovations that included a tremendous exterior facelift, opened this past summer with seating for about 80 people and another 80 outside in an outdoor attraction that will be spectacular when it officially opens next spring.
Schaffer literally brought the pub back to life.
“It was dusty and dirty after sitting empty for about four or five years,” he said, noting that the exterior looks completely different thanks to a new roof that includes a tin roof on the lower section, masonry work and extensive landscaping. “We brought back the turn-of-the-century look to the outside. On the inside, we didn’t have to do as much.”
Except for the kitchen.
“Yeah. That’s a different story,” Schaffer said with a laugh. “There was everything we needed in there, but some of that kitchen equipment was 30 or 40 years old, and I didn’t trust it. So, every piece of equipment is new in there.”
When you walk around The Inn, it’s like a self-touring historic experience. The 20-seat hardwood bar is worth the trip alone.
“It’s not the original bar, but it has very old hardwood,” Schaffer said. “It’s like stepping into a time capsule. We have the old tin ceiling and hardwood floors. One of the former owners, Alex McKee, built the bar meticulously, which has a lot of history. It was built with all original lumber from the Atlantic City High School’s gym floor. So, that means the wood matches the same era of the original building … late 1800s, early 1900s. He repurposed one bar at a time, including a lot of the hardwood floors, which were repaired using the wood from the high school. But a lot of the hardwood floors are original from the Roesch Hotel. Alex salvaged it, restored it, and put it all in here about 20 years ago. This place is pretty fascinating.
But, more on that later.
Comfort food
The menu, as you would expect from a neighborhood inn, features comfort food at its heart.
Led by vertan Chef Fred Custer, who has helmed kitchens including nearby Renault Winery as well as gourmet casino restaurants including the former Evo at Trump Plaza, the menu strives in its simple excellence.
Start with the whole chicken wings ($12), the hearty style where you get the flat and the drumstick together, with choices of mild, hot, BBQ or sweet red chili sauces. They may be the star of the entire menu thanks to its over-the-top flavorful dry rub.
Other appetizers include a killer homemade crab cake ($16), also available as a sandwich ($20), and pub favorites like mozzarella sticks ($9) and a giant Festhaus pretzel ($10) with beer cheese in honor of the former German restaurant that occupied the space.
“At one point, I would like to have menu items to pay homage to all of the past restaurants that have been here,” Schaffer said.
There are also a variety of salads, including the Beethoven ($14) with lettuce, beets, red onions, asiago cheese, pistachios and raspberry vinaigrette, and a slew of sandwiches ($14 to $20).
From cheesesteaks to burgers – check out the Egg Harbor Burger with pork roll, fried egg and Cooper sharp cheese – Italian-inspired sausage and peppers and grilled chicken, all of the bases are covered.
The signature sandwich that Schaffer believes will become famous is the open-faced ribeye ($20), a 10-ounce ribeye served over toasted garlic bread with au jus and horseradish sauce.
“That was one of the items we were unsure about even putting on the menu,” Schaffer said. “Now, it’s our No. 1 seller. It will become the sandwich we are known for. Like all of our menu items, we are just striving for quality and using the best ingredients, including bread baked daily for us in Atlantic City by Rando.”
Entrees will be added in the future, but for now the fish and chips ($17) with a side of malt and vinegar are certainly worth trying.
“We have lots of ideas for entrees and want to rotate them as specials,” Schaffer said. “We are taking the classic American pub menu and starting with the basics and adding as we go along. Within six months, I think we will double the size of the menu. But we want to ease into it and feel out the kitchen and the staff and the synergy and not go too big too fast.”
On the bar side – make sure you check out karaoke on Wednesdays General Manager Ryan Beebe has put together nice cocktail and beer menus, the latter which strives to bring in local beers to showcase New Jersey and Pennsylvania breweries such as Yards, Garden State, Slack Tide, Tonewood, Wicked Weed and Cape May.
For cocktails, check out the Hammonton Lemonade with Stoli blueberry vodka and lemonade; the potent Dr. Smith’s Cedar Water Elixir with vodka, tequila, white rum, gin, Peach Schnapps, homemade sour mix and Pepsi; and the Chocolate Peanut Butter Martini.
Back to the history
Schaffer said he is enjoying learning more about the historic location that he is now the proud owner of. As time goes on, he wants to eventually write a book about the place – “If The Walls Could Only Talk – but until now, you can listen to him or one of the loyal customers tell stories about the place.
“One of the old timers told me there was a character in the neighborhood who would come to the bar just to egg people on,” Schaffer said. “He would always come in and play the Woody Woodpecker theme song on the jukebox and open the windows. So, if you heard the Woody Woodpecker theme song playing, you knew he was there. Also, St. Nicholas Church is down the street, and decades ago, men would pinch the babies to make them cry. They would then put them in the strollers and walk one block here and hang out in the back of the bar. There would be all these strollers here with little babies – who are grown adults today – while the fathers would go in and do shots while the wives stayed in church. Also, I am told if you peel the siding back to the left of the front door, there are five holes there. They were bullet holes form an assassination attempt on Nicky Scarfo back in the mafia days. Apparently, Nicky loved coming here back in the day, and no one wanted to cover up the holes. They are part of the history here. I love hearing these stories. I try to talk to all the old timers and get as much out of them as I can while they are still here.”
Schaffer hopes The Inn on St. Louis will generate its own stories over the years, adding the legacy of a pretty remarkable place.
“It’s an amazing property,” Schaffer said. “Now that I am in here, I love owning the neighborhood tavern.
Maybe the best chapter for his book is yet to come
The Inn on St. Louis is located at 446 St. Louis Ave., Egg Harbor City. It is open 4 to 11 p.m. Wednesdays to Sundays. Go to TheInnOnStLouis.com.
Scott Cronick is an award-winning journalist who has written about entertainment, food, news and more in South Jersey for nearly three decades. He hosts a daily radio show – “Off The Press with Scott Cronick” – 4 to 6 p.m. weekdays on Newstalk WOND 1400-AM, 92.3-FM, and WONDRadio.com, and he also co-owns Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall in Atlantic City, while working on various projects, including charitable efforts, throughout the area. He can be reached at scronick@comcast.net.
