Little Lager, the snug Princeton Heights beer bar, is gearing up for a big swing onto Cherokee Street, trading its tiny footprint for a much larger storefront. The new space is expected to hold more than 100 patrons and include outdoor seating, giving the bar room for live music, DJ nights and outdoor food pop ups. Renovations are already in motion, with the owner aiming for an early 2026 debut.
According to the St. Louis Business Journal, owner Manny Negron plans for the Cherokee Street outpost to accommodate more than 100 guests, and the publication reports that the new site will be more than four times larger than the original Princeton Heights location.
Who’s Behind the Expansion
Manny Negron, who opened Little Lager in 2023, also runs the speakeasy Keep Quiet inside Urban Chestnut’s Midtown Biergarten and has built a reputation for carefully curated, small room hospitality. St. Louis Public Radio has profiled Negron’s work and his ties to local brewers and bartenders. That background helps explain why he is adding a second location that can host larger events without replacing the original neighborhood outpost.
New Space and Programming
The Cherokee Street spot will take over the storefront that formerly housed the Fortune Teller Bar at 2635 Cherokee Street and will add a patio and more room for shows and pop ups, according to Drink314. The larger footprint is expected to let Little Lager keep its Czech style pours while expanding to bigger events and a cocktail program tied to Negron’s Keep Quiet concept. Renovation work is underway to adapt the layout for heavier foot traffic and larger crowds.
Cherokee Street Context
The building’s previous tenant, Fortune Teller Bar, closed at the end of 2024, leaving a vacancy that neighbors watched closely, as Sauce Magazine reported. Local outlets and neighborhood roundups have pointed to Little Lager’s move as a hopeful sign for Cherokee Street’s nightlife and walkability. Listings and community guides have highlighted the address and the street’s ongoing turnover as context for why this expansion matters to neighbors and bar goers, per STLBeer.
What to Watch Next
Renovations are still in progress and an early 2026 opening has been projected, with the original Princeton Heights location set to remain open while the Cherokee Street site ramps up, per the St. Louis Business Journal. For now, the next milestones to watch are a firm opening date and a slate of live shows and collaborations. If the plan holds, Cherokee Street will gain a beer forward, larger venue that aims to connect neighborhood crowds with the wider St. Louis hospitality community.
