![]() “The owner of the property is extremely nice and she did a lot to assist us. Just as Reine aims to make its new customers feel welcome, some people in the community have helped Deppen as he prepared to open the club. Plus, the area around us is nice - we have deer running around all the time and there are owls out back.” Mind for business When you come in here, you expect to see something a little nicer. “The décor of the property dictates a really nice place. ![]() “It kind of reminds you of the food you would get at a country club. “We’re not here to fatten you up - we’re just here to give you a little food,” Deppen said. While the menu may not be the centerpiece for Reine, Deppen knows the food selection can help bring people into the bar. The menu will get bigger as we get fully staffed and trained.” “During the week, we’ll do a small portion of the menu and we’ll do the apps after 7 p.m. “For sandwiches, we’re doing a Reuben, a club and a meatball. “Right now, we’re doing the appetizers including meatballs, shrimp cocktail, a charcuterie board and a bagel board, as well as our salads,” Deppen said. The menu at Reine, as listed on its Facebook page, will include appetizers, salads, sandwiches, sides, soups and desserts, but the offerings will initially be limited until more kitchen staff is hired. “We still have a lot of nice beers, but again, that specialty beer thing is so played out, but we try to have the beers that people will want.” “We decided not to have draft beer because it’s so played out in Edwardsville and everyone has it,” Deppen said. In addition to 12-ounce specialty martinis and a large selection of bourbons, Reine has a wine and champagne bar and a variety of bottled beers. For this weekend, we’re getting inundated with calls from people, so we’re expecting a lot of business.” Ramping up the menu We just open a little later Mondays so we can get through the weekend. “A lot of places in Edwardsville are closed on Sunday and Monday, so we wanted to be open. We didn’t start until almost 7:00 because Taste of Edwardsville was still going on (at the Ink House). “On our opening night, we were open until 2:00 and we had about 130 people. “(Tuesday) night people started showing up around 6:30 and we did very well, and the last customer left around 10:30 or 10:45,” said Deppen, whose establishment has a small dance area with a disco ball and lighting system. The late hours, especially on weekends, offer an alternative to local residents who enjoy nighttime entertainment while not having to drive to St. Friday and Saturday, and 12:30 to 11 p.m. The footprint and the layout are perfect.” I owned that place for only seven months, but I looked at four other places in this area (to open a club) and this one was the best. “I sold my bar in Granite City last September and the new owner is doing great and has expanded it. “It’s kind of set by itself and it’s a beautiful area with ample parking,” said Deppen, who is the former owner of Manhattan’s House of Coffee & Socialhouse in Granite City. You probably don’t know what the name means unless you look it up, but it’s French for ‘queen.’ It’s just a name that everyone uses and it’s kind of a play on words.” Location, location, locationĪs soon as he saw the building where Reine is now located, Deppen knew he had found the right place for his new club. “It’s a beautiful property and everyone loves it. “There’s nothing like it here in Edwardsville and the closest ones are in Alton or Belleville, or you go over to Missouri. “We’re not pushing any agenda and in a business sense, we opened it because it’s an untapped market,” Deppen said. Deppen feels that both the location and the timing of the club’s opening are ideal.
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