3,000-Cap The Factory To Open In St. Louis

The Factory, a new 3,000-capacity venue in St. Louis, Mo., is scheduled to open later this year. 

Dan Merker, who previously worked with Huka Entertainment and Outback Concerts,  will be the talent buyer for the new venue and Brian Carp, previously of House Of Blues in Anaheim and Dallas, will be the COO. 

The Factory is currently looking to book touring acts for fall 2021, though Merker told Pollstar, like everyone else, they are still waiting to see what capacity local regulations will allow the venue to work at and whether it will make sense to force an opening given the restrictions in place.

“Every week has gotten a little busier. Agents are starting to clear dates and are confirming things for fall, just not at the normal capacity any buyer wants to be working at,” Merker told Pollstar, chuckling. “[The decision on when to open] comes down to volume and ability to cover expenses for the venue. 

“Also, the developer spent all this money building an incredible venue that really is going to be one of the nicest venues of the country. Let’s not force a grand opening at half capacity, let’s open up big and make sure we do it right.”

The venue is being developed by The Staenberg Group, a vertically integrated real estate firm that designs, develops and manages shopping centers. 

Merker and Carp are St. Louis natives and Merker said he has felt there has been a gap in the market for this size of a venue for quite some time. 

“Staenberg’s goal was to build a venue that is perfect, the best place to see live music, not just in St. Louis but in the region. I’d put it at the top of the charts,” Merker said. “It will be nice to have a venue in town to call home.”

Merker heard about the job through Hank Sacks, who knew that Carp was going to be the COO and suggested that Merker reach out to connect. The two hit it off, and after some vetting, Merker agreed to buy for the venue from Nashville, where he will continue to live for the time being.

With 52,000 square feet, The Factory was designed by Sustaita Architects of Houston; Chiodini Architects handled the building’s exterior; and O’Toole Design Associates fashioned the interior. It has a seated capacity of 2,350, has seven full-service bars, and is located in Chesterfield’s The District hotspot for entertainment.