ST. LOUIS – Now trending in St. Louis are beer gardens in public spaces, like city parks.

They are only open in the afternoons and early evenings. Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis is adding a 4 Hands Brewing beer garden. Tower Grove Park is adding a Schlafly and STL Barkeep beer and cocktail garden for a second year.

“I really think the pop-up places for alcohol shouldn’t be in public parks,” said Angela Williams, a south St. Louis resident. “You’ve got kids here.”

Williams and her family were having lunch at Kiener Plaza on Monday afternoon.

Though she was not in favor of beer gardens in parks, she was ok with allowing them, as she put it, “as long as people don’t get stupid with it.”

“Before we started ours and were looking into it… we talked to other municipalities across the country,” said Bill Reininger, executive director of Tower Grove Park. “As to their beer gardens, what they were doing, what the successes were. Yeah, it’s a growing trend. It’s been fantastic. The public has really enjoyed having a place to get together, hang out, have your family here. Just that opportunity to mix and mingle, back by popular demand.”

Rockwell Beer Company’s beer garden in Francis Park was a success after its opening in the fall of 2021.

The neighborhood’s alderman, Tom Oldenberg, said it had complimented park activities with zero complaints.

The same was true at Tower Grove, according to Peggy Pashia, who was there hanging out with her 13-month-old granddaughter, Malia, on Monday.

“Mainly, it’s young families (coming),” Pashia said. “It’s an opportunity for them to come out and enjoy the park and still be able to bring their kids with them. They have to practice their own responsibility. The venue has to make sure they’re not overserving. It’s been wonderful so far.”

Rockwell is now open daily in Francis Park for the spring, summer, and fall seasons. The brewery, 4 Hands, is open in Kiener Plaza on Thursdays through Sundays. The Schlafly and STL Barkeep locations in Tower Grove Park are open only on Fridays, beginning this Friday.