Help Out Benton Park Businesses During COVID-19 Closures

Efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19 are taking a toll on businesses around the world, including those right here in Benton Park. Throughout the neighborhood, restaurants, bars, and coffee shops are limiting service to carryout and delivery or closing their doors temporarily. In an effort to support our beloved local establishments in this difficult time, we’ve compiled a list of Benton Park businesses and how you can help.

This list is a work in progress. For additions or edits, email marketing@bentonpark.org. Updated Friday, March 20 at 4pm.

In addition to what’s listed below, you can find your favorite bar and restaurant staff on STL Virtual Tip Jar, “an opportunity for social-distancing St. Louis residents to keep supporting the staff at our local restaurants, coffee shops, bars, and other establishments who are out of work at this time.”

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Benton Park Cafe

Open for carryout and delivery. Call 314-771-7200; menu at bentonparkcafe.com/house-menu. Also offering alcohol deliveries including $4 blood marys and mimosas.

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BLUES CITY DELI

Curbside service available, but closed Monday, 3/23 and Tuesday 3/24 to regroup. To place an order, call 314-773-8225 and 314-833-4489. Menu at bluescitydeli.com. Card only; no cash.

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Bluewood Brewing

Visit Bluewood’s online store (bluewoodbrewing.com/shop) for beer, wine, merch, gift cards, and more for curbside pickup. Cans for select beers now available.

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Cafe Piazza

Order online at slicelife.com/restaurants/mo/st-louis/63118/cafe-piazza/menu or call 314-343-0294.

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Egg Restaurant

For delivery call 314-202-8244 or order online at my-site-eggatmidtown.square.site/s/order. Gift cards available online.

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Elaine's Classic American Sandwiches

Temporarily closed.

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Ernesto's Winebar

Temporarily closed. Check Facebook for updates.

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Frazer's Restaurant & Bar

Now offering curbside and delivery to Benton Park/Soulard area. Call 314-773-8646; menu at frazersgoodeats.com. Packaged beer and wine also available for carryout or delivery.

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Gus' Pretzels

Curbside pickup available. Call 314-664-4010. Frozen pretzels also available.

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Hodak's Restaurant & Bar

Order online for pickup or Doordash delivery: hodaks.com. New menu and hours below.

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Kalbi Taco Shack

Available for curbside pickup (314-240-5544) or delivery via Postmates: kalbitacoshack.com/delivery. Menu at kalbitacoshack.com/menu.

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Lefty's Fried Rice

Available for carryout. Call 314-899-0169; menu at leftysfriedrice.com/menu.

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Lemp Mansion

Serving a curbside version of their famous Chicken dinner for $11.70 plus tax. Call 314-664-8024 to place your order.

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Melo's Pizzeria

Curbside available Thursday and Friday evening. Call 314-833-4489; menu at melospizzeria.com. Cards only; no cash.

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Mud House

Temporarily closed; gift cards and merch available at themudhousestl.com/merch

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Peacemaker Lobster & Crab Co.

Curbside service available. Call 314-772-8858; menu at peacemakerlobstercrab.com/st-louis — and don’t forget to add a 4- or 6-pack of beer or a bottle of wine. Gift cards available for purchase online at giftcards.peacemakerlobstercrab.com/Order.

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Pop’s Louisiana Fish and Chicken

Carryout available. Call 314-680-0000; menu at louisiana-fish-and-chicken.business.site.

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Shameless Grounds

Temporarily closed. Gift cards and t-shirts available for online purchase at squareup.com/store/shamelessgrounds.

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Sidney Street Cafe

Effective immediately, we will be offering affordable, family-style meals and a la carte options from Sidney Street for carry out. Sidney street hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 4pm-7pm. Don’t forget to add a 4- or 6-pack of beer or a bottle of wine. Call 314-771-5777 or order online at sidneystreetcafestl.com/online-order.

Gift cards available at sidneystreetcafestl.com/online-order (scroll to bottom of menu).

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Small Change

Temporarily closed with some curbside beer sales; check Facebook for updates.

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Trueman’s

Available for carryout and delivery on all major apps, or call 314-865-5900. Menu at truemansinsoulard.com/menu.

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Utah Station

Fully closed until further notice, but check Facebook for chef updates and possible drive through options.

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Venice Cafe

Temporarily closed.

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Yemanja

Food and drinks available curbside. To order, text 314-497-7457 or call 314-771-7457; menu at yemanjastl.com/menu/yemanjatogo. Weekly hours: Thursday 4-8, Friday-Sunday 4-9pm.

A Summary of Proposed Changes to BPNA Bylaws

The Benton Park Neighborhood Association board has approved a set of proposed changes to the BPNA Bylaws to come before the full voting membership of the Association. Members will vote on these proposed bylaw changes at the BPNA meeting on Tuesday, February 4, 2020 at 7pm.

As a preliminary matter, it is worth noting that these bylaws are amended and restated – that is, we are not completely starting over with respect to the BPNA bylaws.  Rather, this draft incorporates some of the existing provisions, modifies others and adds new provisions. It should also be noted, however, that the format of the bylaws has been updated, so certain section and article numbers may have changed.

The full amended bylaws can be viewed via PDF download, with specific changes highlighted below. Existing BPNA bylaws can be found here.

Article I

No significant changes here.  Section 1.1 notes that the corporation currently does business as “Benton Park Neighborhood Association,” though that name has not been officially adopted or registered with the Missouri Secretary of State as a fictitious name.

Section 1.3 has been added, as the principal address of the corporation does not have to be the same as the address of the corporation’s registered office.  For example, if the registered agent is the corporate secretary, the registered office of the corporation could be changed to the secretary’s home address so that notices from the Missouri Secretary of State and other official mailings are sent directly to the secretary instead of the corporation’s mailing address.  Currently, however, both the principal office and registered office are the same.

Article II

This Article has been restated in part to make more explicit references to sections of the Internal Revenue Code and Missouri Nonprofit Corporation Act that apply directly to BPNA.  Section 2.1 also includes a specific definition of “Benton Park Neighborhood” so it is clear where individuals and businesses must be located in order to become a voting member of BPNA.  Exhibit A to the draft bylaws defines “Benton Park Neighborhood” using detailed street and address descriptions.

Sections have also been added to Article II to more expressly define BPNA’s purpose and clarify how its activities must be restricted in order to maintain exemption from federal and state income tax.  These provisions are commonly found in bylaws of not for profit corporations today and are intended to bring BPNA in line with modern practices.

Article III

Article III has been updated to more clearly define what constitutes a “Member” of BPNA and which Members are entitled to vote. 

Article Three of the current BPNA bylaws is somewhat ambiguous with respect to the notion that “one individual represents one vote,” so the last paragraph of Section 3.1 was added in an effort to clarify that point.

With respect to voting eligibility, Section 3.3 clarifies what it means to be a Member in good standing.  The amount of dues remains the same.

Article III has also been expanded to include sections concerning the rights of Members, generally, and how they fit into BPNA’s operations.  Essentially, Article III combines Articles Three and Five from the current BPNA bylaws and adds some modern elements, including voting by proxy (Section 3.12), a listing of specific actions which require a vote of the members and the threshold for a decision (Section 3.14).  Section 3.5 also sets the “Annual Meeting of the Members” at which elections will be held for the first Tuesday in February, which coincides with BPNA’s regular monthly meeting.

Article IV

Article IV updates the manner in which BPNA’s bylaws discusses the duties, authority and manner of acting for the Board of Directors, which is made up of (1) the BPNA officers and (2) one or more at-large directors.

Article Six of the current BPNA bylaws has been absorbed into Article IV of these draft bylaws because committees should properly operate under the oversight of the Board of Directors.  Section 4.16 discusses how committees will be established and operated, while Section 4.17 identifies the standing (that is, permanent) committees.

Sections 4.18-4.21 specifically address the duties of the Board of Directors and the liability of Directors.  Section 4.18 ties in with the prohibited transactions provisions in Article X and the conflict of interest policy in Article XII to ensure that the Board of Directors is acting with proper transparency and is free from actual or perceived conflicts of interest.  Sections 4.20 and 4.21 offer protection for those volunteering to serve as Directors, provided they act within the requirements of the bylaws.

Since the actions requiring approval of the Members are outlined in Article III, it is presumed that all other functions may be handled by the Board of Directors and Officers, though Article VI references various rights and obligations of the Board of Directors and Officers.

Article V

In large part, Article V incorporates the terms of Article Four in BPNA’s current bylaws, which details the number and duties of the BPNA Officers.

Section 5.2 modifies existing procedures by establishing BPNA’s February meeting as the date for election of Officers and Directors.

Article VI

With only a few revisions and new cross references, Article VI incorporates nearly all of the terms from Article Seven of the current BPNA bylaws.

Article VII

Article VII correlates to Article Nine of the current BPNA bylaws but includes important additions concerning the right of Members of inspect corporate records and the filing of annual tax or information returns, as well as annual reports to maintain the corporation’s good standing with the State of Missouri.

Article VIII

Because several provisions within both the existing BPNA bylaws and these draft bylaws require the giving of notice – whether it concerns notice of a meeting or notice of a proposed action or amendment – Article VIII has been added to clarify that the notice requirements of the bylaws may be waived in certain circumstances.

Article IX

Article IX probably represents the most significant change from the current BPNA bylaws.  This Article deals with indemnification for those serving on behalf of BPNA as agents, employees, Officers or Directors.  Article IX offers a much more robust explanation of how and when indemnification is made available to those who are faced with litigation stemming from their involvement with BPNA.

Article IX lays out eligibility requirements for indemnification and the process for determining whether BPNA will actually indemnify someone.

Importantly, Section 9.7 retains language concerning the purchase and maintenance of liability insurance for BPNA, which will protect the corporation and serve as the first line of defense for its officials and representatives. 

Article X

Article X is a new addition to the bylaws and was included for corporate governance purposes.  This provision is intended to ensure that BPNA operates in a transparent manner and does not engage in activities that can lead to unnecessary litigation, threaten the corporation’s good standing or jeopardize the corporation’s tax exempt status.

Article X should be read in tandem with Article XII, which deals with conflicts of interest.

Article XI

Because BPNA is exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, it is required to have a provision in its governing documents like the one found in Article XI.  The purpose of this paragraph is to ensure that if and when BPNA is ever dissolved, its leftover assets will be transferred to another tax-exempt organization.

Article XII

Like Article XI, Article XII has been added because, as an entity exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, BPNA must adhere to certain policies concerning conflicts of interest that arise in the course of ordinary activities and operations.  Article XII lays out a thorough policy for both identifying and addressing conflicts of interest.

Article XIII

Article XIII essentially incorporates the entirety of Article Ten from the current BPNA bylaws.

2020 BPNA Meeting Schedule

Join us at our monthly membership meetings. Agenda items include updates from the board, neighborhood safety officer Jack Khoudian, and Alderman Dan Guenther.

Meetings are held at 7:00 p.m. at Epiphany United Church of Christ Fellowship Hall (2911 McNair Ave.). All are welcome to attend.

2020 Meeting Schedule:

• January 7

• February 4 - Annual Meeting of the Members

• March 3

• April 7

• May 5

• June 2

• July - No meeting

• August 4 

• September 1

• October - No meeting; join us instead for National Night Out

• November 10 - Note: meeting pushed to second Tuesday due to election

• December - No meeting; join us instead at the holiday party

Photos: Neighborhood Appreciation Night at Miracle

December 29 was Neighborhood Appreciation Night at Miracle, a pop-up holiday party located in the Small Change space at 2800 Indiana Avenue. Friends and neighbors came together to celebrate the end of the holiday season with a portion of proceeds benefitting Benton Park Neighborhood Association. Thanks to Miracle and the Small Change team for supporting the neighborhood.

Photos: BPNA 2019 Holiday Party

Thanks to all who joined us for this year’s holiday party and membership drive at Yemanja Brasil! Neighbors came together to celebrate the year with Brazilian food and live music from Ben Stitzel. If you didn’t have the chance to renew your BPNA membership for 2020, you can renew online.

Benton Park House Plaques Back in Stock

Benton Park neighborhood house plaques are back in stock! Purchase below for local delivery. Questions? Email Don Morgan, BPNA President at president@bentonpark.org.

Trunk or Treat 2019

Thanks to all who made it out for a fun afternoon in Fremont Park! While the parade was rained out this, our rescheduled Trunk or Treat was a fun time for all.

Free Health Clinic Opening Soon in Benton Park

Opening on November 16, 2019, the Salam Free Health Clinic at Epiphany United Church of Christ in Benton Park will provide basic medical screening, treatment, and referrals free of charge for adults 18 and older with no insurance.

More information from Salam Health Clinic below:

Were you aware that 39% of residents in the area surrounding Epiphany UCC in South St. Louis live at or below the poverty level?  Also, did you know that approximately 30-50% of residents in the area have no health insurance?  Despite the Affordable Care Act, many South St. Louisans still lack access to basic healthcare.  Missouri being one of the several states that did not expand Medicaid has compounded this problem.

Healthcare access is a basic human right.  Epiphany being a justice-minded congregation has a wonderful opportunity to help things change!  After several discussions between a group of Muslim physicians and Deaconess Faith Community, Salam Clinic has agreed to open an additional free Saturday health clinic at Epiphany in November 2019.

Salam Clinic began as an effort of the Muslim Community of St. Louis (MCSL), an organization dedicated to helping others. Co-founded by Dr. Zia Ahmad and Dr. Bahar Bastani, the first clinic opened its doors in 2008 at Lane Tabernacle CME Church in North County and expanded its clinic services to the Ferguson community through St. Peters UCC in 2013. Deaconess Nursing Ministry provides the nursing staff for the clinics. The collaboration between these organizations illustrates the commitment of all those involved to making the world a more just and peaceful place for all faiths.

The Salam Clinic has received multiple service awards in the past which include:

• Focus St. Louis - What's Right with the Region Award (May 2019)

• Malachi Interfaith Award (January 2019)

• Deaconess Nurse Ministry Service Award

• Interfaith Partnership of St. Louis- recognized Salam Clinic as an example of Interfaith Community Service

The clinic will be holding an opening ceremony at Epiphany UCC, located at 2911 McNair, St. Louis, Missouri on November 9th between 11 AM and 1 PM.  Patients will be first seen on Saturday November 16, 2019 between 11 AM and 1 PM.  This clinic is for adults aged 18 and older.  Basic services to be offered include:

• Diagnosis and treatment of non-urgent and chronic medical conditions;

• Essential medications as available;

• Basic laboratory tests

• Basic physical examinations for purposes of employment

Chris Guelbert DNP, RN will be assisting with coordination of the clinic.  Also, Epiphany has applied for a $10,000 Neighbors in Need Grant through the UCC.  This application is currently under review and the money would assist with start-up costs.

Volunteers from Epiphany and surrounding congregations are needed for assistance with greeting visitors, obtaining charts, and other various duties.  Nursing staff volunteers are also required.  If interested, please contact Chris at 314-873-2758 or at cguelbert@hotmail.com.

Tunes on Tap 2019

Last weekend, the neighborhood came together for a day of beer, bands, and house tours. This year’s Tunes on Tap was bigger and better than ever thanks to our incredible hosts, bands, attendees, volunteers, and sponsors.

Guests enjoyed music from Boxcar, The Murphtones, Susie Cue, the Pernikoff Brothers, Leslie Nillissen, Gus Page, Preacher Clark, and Travelin’ Mike of the Travelin’ Band. Homes on the tour featured beers from our beverage sponsors at 4 Hands, Anheuser Busch, UCBC, Schlafly, Bluewood Brewing, Earthbound Beer, and WellBeing Brewing.

Special thanks goes out to our 2019 Event Series sponsors at American Eagle Credit Union, Ernesto’s, The Fortune Teller Bar, Alderman Dan Guenther, Gus’ Pretzels, Hop Shop, Killeen Studio Architects, Mardi Gras, Inc., McGurk’s, Millennium Restoration & Development, Small Change, Scott Holdridge State Farm, and Benton Park Cafe.

For more information on Tunes on Tap, including 2020 hosting and sponsorship opportunities, email events@bentonpark.org.

Image credits: Jim Shemwell, Patti Bowman Crites, and Dani Tallchief.

Hosts Needed for Benton Park Classic Riders

The Gateway Cup is coming up this Labor Day weekend, including the Benton Park Classic on Monday, September 2.

Now in its 36th year, The Gateway Cup takes place over four days and across four St. Louis neighborhoods: Lafayette Square, Francis Park, The Hill, and right here in Benton Park. All four days of the Gateway Cup are a part of The USA Cycling Professional Road Tour.

From the Gateway Cup Website:

Within each of these host communities, the race course is a defined one mile lap and the race is known as a criterium. This Americanized style of racing appeals to both athletes and spectators alike as the peloton, or pack of cyclists, pass by every few minutes at impressive speeds holding lines only inches apart from one another. Spectators can watch the race develop lap after lap and hear commentators announce race strategy, allowing more of an understanding and involvement in the excitement.

Each year, riders seek host housing as an affordable way to join the competition from other cities. If you’re interested in hosting a rider in town for the weekend’s races, email Amy Strahan at amystrahan@earthlink.net.

*Images from Gateway Cup, Benton Park Classic 2017