Bands Through Town
TAKASHIMA
St. Louis’ Preeminent Vinyl Listening Lounge
Surrounded by over 7,500 records—most of which are his own—Dan Hayden clearly loves music. The former DJ and current co-owner of Takashima Record Bar recognizes the importance of a space like the one he and co-owner Robbie Hayden provide.
“As long as people are having a good time, enjoying the music and enjoying the atmosphere, that’s the most important thing,” he said about his overall goal for the business.
Takashima Record Bar, located in the Grove, is a listening lounge for vinyl record enthusiasts and music lovers alike. It’s inspired by Japanese listening bars, which date back to the 1950s, that provide a top-notch musical experience with high-end audio equipment where patrons listen to records selected from a record library behind the bar. That idea has made its way to major cities around the world like London, Paris, Toronto, New York and Los Angeles. St. Louis can count itself among those.
“Takashima means ‘tall island.’ It’s the sister city of St. Louis in Japan,” Dan said. “What that meant to us, more or less, when we took over is that we have the Japanese whisky program, it’s a tip of the cap to the listening lounge in Japanese culture, there’s elements like the color of our booth is the color of the bridge in Takashima, Japan.”
Dan and Robbie formerly owned The Wine Tap in Belleville, Ill. The duo took over Takashima Records after it shuttered during the COVID-19 pandemic, rebranding the business to add something new to the Grove’s active nightlife scene.
Not just known for its music, Takashima also serves Japanese whisky, curated cocktails, and approachable small food plates to go along with a rotating roster of guest local DJs and selectors that fill four-hour slots from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. DJs can play whatever they want, usually sticking to a specific mood or the feel of the room.
The inclination for many would be to simply play atmospheric music to not upset the lounge vibe, but Takashima gives its guest DJs the freedom to mix it up. As creative director, that’s important to Dan, even if the music is something heavier like Mastodon.
“If it’s somebody that has been in here and they want to do that, they’ll know or mention it to me,” he said. “If it’s somebody new who’s trying out a new concept, I’ll usually put it on a 5-9 on a Wednesday or Thursday just so that we’re not throwing them out there that might be different from the norm. We try not to pigeonhole ourselves. I want to have that variety.”
While Takashima does bring in national acts such as Easy Mo Bee (a hip hop legend most notable for his affiliation with Bad Boy Records in its early years and his heavy production involvement in The Notorious B.I.G.’s acclaimed debut Ready to Die), it’s more so a showcase for local artists.
"Being able to support locals, and being a place where people can get a vast representation of local talent showcasing themselves is one of my favorite things about having this space."
The Haydens have plenty of experience with food as well. In addition to The Wine Tap, Dan helped open the first Mission Taco on Delmar as well as the one in Soulard. While many aspects of Takashima are nods to Japanese culture, they wanted the menu to be authentic to themselves and appeal to their customer base. They introduced some of the concepts from their previous ventures in crafting the menu.
“I want to do what I do, and do it well. We carried some of those concepts over from The Wine Bar,” Dan said. “We did everything from scratch. All of the cocktail recipes are Robbie’s and our other bartenders’; the food is all Robbie and myself. All of that was us taking this space and that concept and refining it into what it is now. Some stuff sticks, some stuff doesn’t. We don’t want to get stagnant, not just from a music standpoint, but food, cocktails, wine and beer as well.”
The food is meant for social eating, while also being a source of pride. Takashima makes its own sauces, dressings, and preserves, pickles its vegetables, and sources its products locally as much as possible.
Charcuterie elements come from BEAST Craft BBQ, pulled pork from Sugarfire, and beer 100% from local breweries.
The food is meant for social eating, while also being a source of pride. Takashima makes its own sauces, dressings, and preserves, pickles its vegetables, and sources its products locally as much as possible.
Charcuterie elements come from BEAST Craft BBQ, pulled pork from Sugarfire, and beer 100% from local breweries.
The cocktails on the menu support the listening lounge theme, each being named after an influential music artist. For instance, “Bad Moon Rising” is a nod to Creedence Clearwater Revival, “Love & Happiness” is a song by Al Green, “Go for Your Guns” is an Isley Brothers album, and “Alone in Vegas” is a song by Pusha T. Some cocktails are named after contemporary artists, while some are classics. Each one isn’t just a cool name, but it ties into the song and reflects the overall eclectic nature of the lounge.
While being a unique space for fans of food, cocktails, and music, Takashima wants to help drive business to other local spots, especially in the Grove. With great retailers, restaurants, bars, and breweries—including the iconic Urban Chestnut—nearby, there’s plenty to go around.
“The better this neighborhood does, the better St. Louis does,” Dan said. “We emphasize that to our staff. We want them to share their knowledge of the city. We’re in a position here where we’re a little unique, but I want all things in St. Louis to be successful.”
Greek Salad—Cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, tomato, kalamata and chickpea on mixed greens with feta and house-made Greek dressing, topped with pink peppercorn and crostini.
Charcuterie & Cheese—Three meat house selection, cheese variety, house pickled green beans and carrots, house made fruit preserve, and crostini.
Margherita Flatbread—Roma tomatoes, fresh mozzarella medallions, basil, on red sauce drizzled with balsamic glaze.
Pulled Pork Sliders—Sugarfire Smokehouse smoked pork on toasted brioche, house-made BBQ sauce with a lil’ kick, crispy onions and creamy house slaw served with house-made pickles and pickled onion.