GROOVY NEW COCKTAIL SPOT

THE LEWIS COMBINES THE ’70S AND SIGNATURE DRINKS

By Patti MacMillan | Photos provided by The Lewis, taken by Rena Captures Photography

n avocado-green phone complete with cord, wood-paneled walls and beer cans perched upon a mounted display.

If these sound like the trappings of a dated family rec room, it may surprise you to learn they are in fact the deliberate decor choices of St. Charles newcomer The Lewis. When business partners Rick Muermann and Brandon Andriola decided to open a cocktail bar, they believed it was important to set themselves apart from others in the industry. At the Main Street establishment, kitsch and sophistication somehow manage an easy coexistence. Named for the city’s first mayor, James K. Lewis, the bar executes a vintage vibe for its modern clientele to savor along with their drinks.

“We wanted to make the space stand out. We wanted to do something interesting,” says Muermann of the aesthetic he describes as upscale ’70s-inspired. The two also own nearby craft beer bar Bogart’s.

But while the bygone era is showcased in ways both big — a large-scale mural of Lewis outfitted in a pale blue leisure suit greets people as they enter — and small —checks are delivered on repurposed album covers for bands such as Sly and the Family Stone — the bar puts equal care and attention into its cocktails.

“We do all the classic cocktails, signature and three specials a month,” Muermann says. “If a special is popular enough, it’s moved to the main menu.”

Seven standing signature cocktails include The Lewis Sidecar aka Disco Inferno, which combines Hennessy, Grand Marnier, peach and citrus fruits; and the Blitzkrieg Bop, a beverage featuring Hendrick’s gin, sweet vermouth, cherry liqueur and bitters.

The No. 1 spot goes to the bar’s OldFashioned. Other concoctions such as Manhattans and whiskey sours hobnob with martinis while a blood orange daiquiri

 THE LEWIS 106 E. Main St., St. Charles 630-549-7167 Facebook: The Lewis Note: For patrons 21+

has summer written all over it. The Lewis also offers a small assortment of local beers on tap as well as wines, but the cocktail is undoubtedly king.

“We take pride in our cocktails, but it’s not just about the drinks,” Muermann says. “It’s service and ambiance too. If we can nail all three, then we’re doing it right.”

Patron Denise Knitter would agree. When the Geneva resident sits herself at the bar — its surface covered in mesmerizing swirls of deep blue and red that mimic the cosmos — it’s most often to sip on her favorite, a cold brew martini, and chat up the bartender and any neighbors.

“I’m a talker and it’s a very friendly, open and relaxed place,” she says.

At the back of the bar, a lounge furnished with a sofa and wingback chairs lends itself to free-flowing conversation. “There’s always three or four groups co-mingling,” says Muermann, adding it’s the spot that fills up the fastest.

In addition to the bar’s convivial atmosphere, Knitter appreciates that The Lewis appeals to a wide range of (legal drinking) ages: “I recently brought my niece and her girlfriends there. Everyone had a great time.”