Humphrey's Restaurant & Tavern, a home away from home for generations of St. Louis University students, will be demolished, probably next spring.

SLU students and other Humphrey's customers have no reason to panic. In about a year, a new Humphrey's will be ready to greet more generations of patrons.

Bernie Squitieri, who bought the bar in May, said Thursday the new two-story Humphrey's will be in the same location as the old—3700 Laclede Avenue. But the new Humphrey's will have a second-floor terrace, a small banquet center, patio seating near the front door and space for three retail tenants. Oculus, a St. Louis design firm, is the project's architect.

Humphrey's has been at the corner of Laclede and Spring avenues since 1976. Janis Mangelsdorf, an owner since Day One, will remain involved in the business. Squitieri said he doesn't intend to mess up a good thing.

"We believe in Humphrey's," he said. "It's been there for 40 years and we want to make it nice."