The Beanery: The First Twenty-four Hour Restaurant in St. Louis

Looking back over the years I can remember in our small Montana town of Kalispell all the stores closed at five P.M. Twilight found dusty streets empty of cars, except those parked in front of the Dew Drop Inn Tavern.

In bustling St. Louis the first twenty-four hour restaurant was opened on July 18th, 1872. It became the hangout for newspaper men. Cozy, the Beanery lent itself to long conversations and a smoke for newsmen after the toil of the night ended.

James H. Morris purchased the Commercial Hotel and Restaurant. Morris wanted the restaurant to be known as Commercial Restaurant, however it had been named "The Beanery" by the previous owner and that is what it was called far and wide.

Those portals at The Beanery saw many characters enter. One newspaper man, writing about the restaurant said, "Here could be met politicians of all brands, from powerful men who swayed the goings on of the state, to saloon bosses. Newspaper men came to eat and in quest of stories; actors visiting the city spent their off hours in The Beanery. Gamblers of all varieties made their home away from home in the restaurant. It was a typical western restaurant of the kind that flourished in San Francisco. This was the clearing house for humanity and a man's status in society was not one of the factors which determined the degree of his welcome." It was a Mecca for those who led a bohemian life and went to The Beanery for their midnight lunches. Many a man who was down on his luck could find a meal there for ten cents.

A lunch counter ran parallel to the length of the room. There was also a long table where groups of men would gather together for their meal and drinks. Jim Morris catered to newspaper men and gave them credit even if they were unemployed, so over the years The Beanery received very good press.

Poet Eugene Field, children's poet who was famous for his poem, "Little Boy Blue" would entertain the patrons with wit and poetry composed on the spot. Another famous patron was newspaper man Henry M. Stanley who took an expedition to Africa, where he discovered Dr. Livingston near death in the depths of Africa.

The Beanery offered more than food. The Commercial Hotel had three floors of rooms, each renting for fifty-cents a night. One permanent resident there had an odd way of combing his hair, and come to find out, he had been partially scalped!

The first Veiled Prophet Parade, for the benefit of downtown businessmen was held on October 8th, 1878. Jim Morris rode on the first float. Morris was also a pastry chef and became well-known for his elegant wedding cakes. Often he would string spun sugar from the chandelier to the party's table.

The Beanery stood across the street from the courthouse and when they were shy a juror they would hang a sheet out the window and Jim Morris would come over and fill in.

Morris and his wife lost two of their children. James, age three died of the croup and Nettie, age six died of "wasting disease". Life was hard and the drinking water in St. Louis was more Mississippi mud than potable water.

Unfortunately, hard times befell Morris when a trusted employee stole a great deal of money from him - and his poor investments sealed the fate. He lost The Beanery, and the fortune he had made from being its