Photos by Brandon Alms, courtesy Cody Smith, Peter Tinson, Hard Knox BBQ
Small Businesses
Springfield's Interconnected Restaurant Scene
Dig into the origins of some of Springfield, Missouri’s newest restaurants. Their interconnected roots run deeper than meets the eye.
By Claire Porter
Jan 2020
1983
Jay Parrino and Bob Ikemeier open J. Parrino's Bar & Grill.
1987–1994
Bob Ikemeier runs J. Parrino's Garden Room on the fourth floor of the Heers building plus a cafeteria setup in the mezzanine.
1989
James Clary launches Amir's.
1989
James Clary opens Clary's Restaurant & Market on Sunshine Street.
1990
Jay Parrino and Bob Ikemeier launch Pasta Express.
1990
James Clary launches Clary's American Grill.
1994
Fred Coco, Bob Ikemeier and Jay Parrino launch Metropolitan Grill.
1994
Bob Ikemeier buys Jay Parrino out of Pasta Express.
1998
James Clary and Peter Tinson open Gallery Bistro.
2000
Jay Parrino sells J. Parrino's Bar & Grill to Kenneth Rigby.
2002
The Pasta Express on National Avenue becomes Pasta Pronto.
2002
Fred Coco buys out Jay Parrino and Bob Ikemeier and moves Metropolitan Grill from Glenstone Avenue to its current location on Battlefield Road.
JUNE 2003
James Clary launches Fish with Wes Elms and Crenna Butterbaugh.
2005
Pat Duran purchases Metropolitan Grill.
2006
Jay Parrino opens Tuscan Bar & Grill.
2006
James Clary sells Clary's to David and Lynee Fender.
2007
Clary's closes.
OCTOBER 2009
Bill Griffiths and Christina Fugitt-Griffiths open Farmers Gastropub.
JUNE 30, 2010
Jay Parrino closes Tuscan Bar & Grill and sells the space and equipment to Nicola Gilardi.
JULY 30, 2010
Kenneth Rigby closes J. Parrino's Bar & Grill.
2011
Jay Parrino opens J. Parrino's Queen City Deli.
2011
Cody Smith becomes sous chef at the Aviary Café & Creperie.
APRIL 2012
Pat Duran opens Santa Fe Grill.
SEPTEMBER 2013
Pat Duran re-launches Santa Fe Grill as Springfield Gourmet Taco Co. in the same location.
DECEMBER 2013
Farmers Gastropub moves to its current location on Glenstone Avenue.
2013
Cody Smith becomes a chef at La Galette Berrichonne in Fordland.
2013
James Clary and John Q. Hammons industries relaunch The Tower Club with pastry chef Vic Pace.
2014
Pat Duran begins entering barbecue competitions with Tyler Thompson.
FEBRUARY 2014
Cody Smith leaves La Galette Berrichonne to found charcuterie business Le Cochon Charcuterie.
JUNE 2014
Peter Tinson becomes a chef at Farmers Gastropub.
NOVEMBER 2014
Cody Smith and Jeremy Smith launch City Butcher and Barbecue.
OCTOBER 2015
Springfield Gourmet Taco Co. becomes Great American Taco Co. and moves to a new location on Battlefield Road.
NOVEMBER 2015
Andy Hampshire buys Farmers Gastropub with his wife, Misty.
2016
Cody Smith; Jeremy Smith; Brent, Robert and Carrie Sonnemaker form parent company CB Concepts, housing City Butcher and soon-to-open fine-dining offshoot CB Social House.
JULY 2016
Pat Duran launches a second Great American Taco Co. in Bentonville, Arkansas.
MAY 2017
Jeremy Smith relinquishes ownership in CB Concepts, and beverage manager and impresario Doug Riddle joins the partnership.
MAY 2017
Pat Duran launches Vespa Kitchen with Peter Tinson.
JULY 2017
Pat Duran launches a second Springfield Great American Taco Co. location on Republic Road.
DECEMBER 2017
Vic Pace opens Vic's Pastries.
JANUARY 2018
Pat Duran closes the Bentonville Great American Taco Co. location.
FEBRUARY 2018
CB Social House is renamed Social on Patton with ownership transferring to Robert and Carrie Sonnemaker. Executive chef Daniel Stern, kitchen manager Cary Harris, business manager Brent Sonnemaker and beverage impresario Doug Riddle begin development of Team Taco.
FEBRUARY 2018
Cody Smith relinquishes ownership in CB Social House to focus on City Butcher.
JULY 2018
Vespa Kitchen closes.
2018
Peter Tinson becomes executive chef at Fire & Ice.
2018
James Clary becomes Food and Beverage Director at Classic Rock Coffee.
JUNE 2019
Social on Patton closes.
JULY 2019
Brent, Carrie and Robert Sonnemaker; Daniel Stern; Doug Riddle; and Cary Harris open Team Taco.
JULY 2019
Pat Duran and Tyler Thompson with pitmaster Jeremy Smith open Hard Knox BBQ in the former Vespa Kitchen space.
SEPTEMBER 2019
Cody Smith opens Lucky Tiger Sandwich Co.
