Courtesy Nathan Wright
Up Late will start with three food items, including two breakfast sandwiches.
Have you ever been out in St. Louis after hours, wandering around hungry, finally settling for some generic fast food or maybe something unappealing from your own refrigerator? If this scenario sounds familiar, we have good news for you.
Up Late, a new effort from Strange Donuts' front-of-house manager and baker Nathan Wright, will open within World's Fair Donuts (1904 South Vandeventer Avenue) on Saturday. The restaurant will be open from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.
"St. Louis deserves a new late night spot," the new business wrote on Instagram.
The concept will be simple, with three dishes, including carne asada street tacos and bacon or sausage breakfast sandwiches. It will — naturally — have Strange Donuts' donuts on offer, plus beverages including water, milk and a custom American lager from 4 Hands Brewing Co. called simply "Beer."
It will be operated by Wright, who will co-own it with Strange Donuts owner Jason Bockman.
The concept came to be thanks to a germ of an idea shared between the two men. Wright, who began working for Strange Donuts about two years ago, has always loved cooking.
"I've been cooking my whole life," Wright says. "My parents were always working, so it was kind of 'fend for yourself,' and so I was always in the kitchen."
Wright bought his creations into work for the enjoyment of his Strange Donuts coworkers.
One day, Bockman turned to him and asked if he wanted to own something, suggesting they open a restaurant together. Wright liked the idea, and the two settled on the late-night concept after noticing a dearth of options in that arena.
The initial conversation happened about a year ago, but things didn't really get moving until four months ago, when the two dug in and did some research on how similar businesses operated, even visiting ones in other cities.
"Jason is a marketing mastermind, and I can cook some food, so it just pairs together," Wright says. "It's just been a really good partnership, a great friendship."
Strange Donuts purchased World's Fair Donuts in December 2019 after owners Peggy and Terry Clanton closed doors at the iconic spot for health and personal reasons. There had been talk of selling the space to an entirely different kind of business until Strange Donuts stepped in.
Courtesy Nathan Wright
4 Hands made a special beer for the concept that is just titled "beer." Nice and simple.
At the time, Bockman told the RFT that he didn't plan to change much — or anything — about World's Fair. And Wright says Up Late doesn't change that, but will simply occupy the space after it closes for the day.
"I'm excited," Wright says. "I'm stressed but feeling good."
Email the author at jrogen@euclidmediagroup.com
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