Jim Edmonds’ Clayton restaurant dead? Landlord disputes status

The saga of former Cardinals outfielder Jim Edmonds' proposed Clayton restaurant has taken another turn.

Edmonds and business partner Mark Winfield announced in August of last year that they would open Edmonds Parkside Grill in Clayton on the Park, a residential building at Brentwood Boulevard and Bonhomme Avenue.

On Jan. 2, however, Winfield told the Post-Dispatch, "The deal is dead."

Winfield explained that negotiations between the partners and the Koman Group, which owns Clayton on the Park, had hit a snag.

"It financially didn't make sense," he said.

The Koman Group didn't respond to a request for comment. However, the Post-Dispatch has obtained what appears to be a letter written by Koman Group managing director Jason Braidwood on Clayton on the Park letterhead and addressed to the building's residents.

In the letter, dated Jan. 3, Braidwood writes, "We were aware that there was some negative press on the subject [of the Clayton on the Park restaurant] as our phones started ringing on the morning of January 2. Note that we declined to respond for a variety of reasons. In sum, there is little to report despite the statements made within the articles. We continue to work with our tenant toward opening the restaurant as quickly as possible."

The letter identifies the tenant in question as Jim Edmonds and Mark Winfield, doing business as "Edwin."

The letter continues, "The plans that Edwin believes work best for the space (inside and out) have resulted in an unanticipated high construction budget. We are therefore working together to value engineer the plans and budget to make it work for both parties. This process has been collaborative with shared goals. Both landlord and tenant very much want the building as soon as possible. ..."

Asked this morning about this "collaborative" process to "value engineer" the Edmonds Parkside Grill proposal, Winfield said, "As of right now, we are not involved."

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Jim Edmonds' Clayton restaurant dead? Landlord disputes status