It’s been a whopping six months since prolific restaurateurs Dave and Kara Bailey introduced a new restaurant in St. Louis, so it's no surprise to learn that their company, Baileys Restaurants, will be opening a barbecue concept—Knockout BBQ—in early September. The restaurant will be located within the confines of Rooster, the couple's breakfast, lunch, and brunch cafe at 3150 S. Grand.

× Expand Photo by George Mahe Rooster on S. Grand features unusual "rooster" artwork (all drawn by a 3rd grade class), plus three sets of communal tables, set at different heights.

Rooster will remain in the western (street-facing) portion of the 6,000-square-foot building; Knockout will occupy the eastern (rear) portion, in the space that had served as Rooster's second dining room.

"We installed a 1,200-pound capacity Ole Hickory smoker when we opened Rooster," says Dave, "and have been using it to smoke meats for our other restaurants ever since. So it really wasn't a stretch to tie it to an onsite restaurant. There isn't much barbecue nearby, plus we had the space and the additional kitchen to do it."

Knockout will seat 75 inside and utilize the covered portion of Rooster's existing building-length patio.

× Expand Photo by George Mahe

Asked about the name, Dave says he just liked the word—its adjectival tie to delicious, killer food—but not to expect a "boxing theme or motif." The decor will "respect the mid-century feel of the building," he says of the former Hamiltonian Federal Savings and Loan. "It will complement rather than compete with Rooster."

The restaurant will serve traditional and "off the wall" 'cue—Texas brisket, Carolina pulled pork, baby back ribs, smoked wings—plus unexpected cuts, including whole hog. Expect more appetizers than many barbecue joints, "knockout" sides, and "out-of-the-box vegetarian 'cue" from chef Jerremy Kirby of Small Batch. Seven housemade sauces, including Korean and Dr. Pepper, will be available for squeezing, dipping, and dabbing.

Knockout will be open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. The service model will be full table service (the same as at other Baileys restaurants), not fast or flex casual.

× Expand Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

The last restaurant the couple introduced was on January 31 of this year. That night, a group of select guests witnessed one of their restaurants flip concepts from the Cajun-themed L’Acadiane to POP, a bubbles-based restaurant and bar—right in the middle of dinner service, an unprecedented feat in St. Louis so far as we know. It typically takes weeks, months, or longer to convert a restaurant, but this one was transformed in a matter of hours.

With Knockout, the number of Baileys Restaurants now stands at eight (Baileys’ Chocolate Bar, Bridge Tap House & Wine Bar, Rooster’s two locations, Small Batch, Baileys’ Range, POP), as well as event spaces Willow and Slate, operating under The Fifth Wheel Catering. All of the locations are located within the city limits. (In May, the couple closed Hugo's Pizzeria in Midtown, after receiving the proverbial offer they couldn't refuse.) Baileys' Restaurants three gardens in the Gate District supply their restaurants with produce, herbs, and fruit.

Next up? A second location of Baileys' Range—located in a former filling station, at 4175 Shaw—is slated to open next spring in a "half new, half historic" space that looks small but won't be, according to Dave.

A dozen years ago, Dave said he had a dozen different concepts in his head, just waiting for their proper time and place. Asked today what's on the drawing board, he reminded us of the concept that he first announced five years ago: a proposed 220-seater at 1011 Olive (the former Bussone’s), which was to feature—barbecue.

"That's still the plan," he says. "We still own the building. There's still plenty of room for more barbecue in St. Louis. We just thought we'd start with a smaller place."

Note: Guests attending the 2019 STL Brewers' Picnic tomorrow night will get a teaser taste of what Knockout will be offering. The official kickoff party of STL Craft Beer Week will be held outdoors on Locust Street, between 10th and 11th, from 5 to 9:00 p.m, and feature beers from 17 local and regional brewers.

Editor's note: This article was updated from the original version.