“Why not do a coffee shop in the day and wine bar at night?”
That’s what entrepreneur and part-owner Kathleen McGowan came up with for Washington Ave’s newest sweet spot, Blondie’s Coffee and Wine Bar.

At the corner of Washington and 13th, Blondie’s brings a flirty, sophisticated feel to the vibrant downtown strip.
“The name was challenging to agree upon with my brothers [laughs]. My dad used to call me the Blonde Bomber growing up because I was blonde, so when it came time for a name, one of my brothers suggested Blondie’s. But I wasn’t dying my hair back to blonde [laughs].”

McGowan, an obvious brunette now, allows the coffee shop/wine bar to pay homage to the beauty of the blonde.

“The whole decoration theme is based off of the blonde color scheme. Everything from the walls to the light fixtures to chairs is in different shades of yellow, gold and brown.”

Even the signature drink list features an ode to the blondes.
“We have a Lauren Bacall, a Uma Thurman…[and of course a Marilyn Monroe].”

One of the more popular drinks is an original concoction called Blondie Got Back [PAUSE].

“It’s made with a pineapple and jalapeno infused Herraduras Tequila, which we infuse in-house, Aperol, which has a sweet flavor, Tuaca, which is a vanilla and caramel flavored liquor, and orange juice. We call it Blondie Got Back because it starts off sweet and then ends with a jalapeno kick – it’s got back [laughs].”

Aside from dozens of signature martinis and dessert drinks, Blondie’s also offers 30 wines by the glass and 60 wines by the bottle, and over 25 specialty beers with 4 on tap.

“Most of the guys are impressed by the selection of Belgian beers we have here. We’ve already gotten rave reviews for our beer listings.”
And the beer isn’t the only thing receiving the rave reviews. The affordable food menu is just as exciting, if not more.
“Our seared beef tenderloin is the most popular item on the menu. It’s amazing!”

Offering a quick service pick-up counter for breakfast and lunch, and a sit-down service for dinner, Blondie’s is introducing STL to a new trend in restaurant versatility.
“I just want to get things going and get popular, and then open a few more Blondie’s throughout the city.”

Open for breakfast @ 6:30A Mon -Fri and 8A Sat and Sun. Close at 3P Mon -Tues, 10P Wed, 1:30A Thurs – Sat, 4P Sun.

DELUX Magazine
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