A onetime 1940s Texaco station at 1801 North Second Street in St. Charles' Frenchtown district is getting a second act as Bench Racers, a food truck garden and bar that owners plan to debut with a soft opening on March 21. The restored garage and adjoining lots are being turned into a hangout for rotating food trucks, a Sugarfire barbecue outpost inside the station, classic car meetups and plenty of outdoor picnic seating. Co-owners Andy Stark and Stephanie Lai bought the long-vacant property in fall 2023 and say they have poured nearly two years into renovations, a transformation neighbors hope will help jump-start the north end of Frenchtown.
According to KMOV, Bench Racers is aiming for that March 21 soft opening with a larger grand opening later this summer. The site will feature a bar alongside Sugarfire BBQ and a rotating cast of food truck vendors. Stark told KMOV that “Everything we’ve done to the building we’ve kept local,” noting that many of the chairs and pieces of decor were assembled or donated by regional car clubs.
Local business coverage first surfaced in June 2025, when the St. Louis Business Journal reported on plans to convert the nearly one-acre former Texaco site into a food truck park. Commercial listings and parcel data put the address of 1801 N. 2nd St in the Central Historic District, with a roughly 1,250-square-foot building on about 0.38 acres, according to LoopNet.
What to Expect at Bench Racers
The Bench Racers website lists a March 21 soft opening for the bar, along with daily hours for the food truck park. It also touts a dog-friendly lot and notes that the team is actively taking vendor reservations. According to City Lifestyle, the owners have kept vintage details in place, plan to show off car memorabilia and hope to host live music and automotive gatherings on a small stage behind the garage.
Where This Fits in Frenchtown's Comeback
The property sits just off the Katy Trail and is expected to play a role in efforts to better connect Frenchtown with Historic Main Street. The City Centre Complex website notes that the city’s $85 million Proposition C bond will fund a new city hall, recreation center, senior center and farmers market. Nearby small businesses have mixed feelings about all the change, but owners such as Big Mo's BBQ told KMOV they expect foot traffic to pick up once the city projects are complete.
Lindenwood University students helped shape the Bench Racers brand, creating the logo and merchandise and working in a tribute to a dog named Lisa, according to the university’s communications office. The owners have highlighted these kinds of partnerships, from students and car clubs to area contractors, as part of an effort to keep the project rooted in the community rather than feeling like an outside development dropped into the neighborhood.
Bench Racers plans to welcome its first customers at the March 21 soft opening. The venue’s official site lists park hours and includes a reservation link for food truck operators. For schedules and vendor information, organizers are directing people to Bench Racers.
