Historic house in downtown Belleville is transformed into a new place to meet, hang out
In case any of you were wondering what’s going on at 316 E. Main St. in downtown Belleville, you’re in the right place.
Bungalow is a new party venue/meeting room/event space located in what was previously the Vintage Tea Room.
I visited Bungalow and met with owner Zach Bair of Belleville – you may know of him via Grimm & Gorly and Pour@322.
Bair was very excited about his latest endeavor and said he “wanted a destination within a destination.”
And Bungalow is it.
Pop-up events & private parties
Bungalow is the setting for pop-up events, which are open to the public on a first come, first serve basis.
The pop-up events will take place on a regular basis, according to Bair.
He provides the space, the beverages and some simple nibbles and baked goods.
Bungalow has a liquor license, so beer, wine and cocktails can be served. Bair said his baritas at Pour@322 are training to serve adult beverages.
Some of the nibbles include fruits and veggies, dips, butter boards and charcuterie boards.
Bair makes it clear that the business itself is not a caterer.
He will work with different caterers, including his uncle’s business, Swiney Ribbers BBQ and More, to arrange food for the events.
But Bair encourages customers to bring food from downtown businesses like Papa Vito’s, Bennie’s Pizza Pub, Seven, Tavern on Main – local places that have health certified kitchens.
He is heavy on community and helping to promote other businesses. He wants to see pizza boxes with the table arrangements, or pizza, sushi and other fare from his downtown neighbors.
If there’s something we don’t have, they will handle it, he said. Everything is within reach in a three-block radius.
They will “make all of this work for the one spot,” said Bair.
Folks can also reserve the historic house for small parties, meetings and other private events.
With some venues, folks who book an event often have to decorate and provide everything themselves.
Bair said at Bungalow, they provide table linens and napkins, chairs, real plates and silverware.
What sets Bungalow apart from other venues, he said, is his events background. He’s all about creating a beautiful setting that others will enjoy.
He said all guests need to do is walk in, enjoy the event and leave after a fun evening.
“We’ll take care of the rest,” said Bair.
Bungalow already hosted a Fairy Garden Class, a Mother’s Day event and a pop-up event during Art on the Square, the first since Bungalow got its liquor license.
With the pop-up events he has in mind and the clients he’ll have, “It’s gonna be kinda fabulous.”
A ‘deep but neutral’ setting
I already know that people are curious about Bungalow.
While I was there, a trio of ladies came inside just to look around, and Bair was very accommodating.
“Clients become friends pretty quick,” he said.
As he showed me around the space, he talked a bit about the décor.
Before he got his creative hands on them, the walls (except for the exposed brick wall) were white.
Now they’re a rich, dark teal.
The carpet is gone, and the floors are now a light-colored wood, which really pops with the wall color.
On one side of the dining space is a bar made from a painted cabinet with a butcher block top that holds some of the foods. On either side of the bar are two smaller tables holding stoneware dishes.
But the best parts are the details and personal touches Bair put on the space.
Bair describes the space as “deep but neutral,” featuring vintage wallpapers, mirrors, blue and white stoneware and chinoiserie – a European take on Chinese and other East Asian styles.
The main room wall around the fireplace has a gorgeous vintage chinois wallpaper.
The wood mantle holds mirrors, blue and white candlesticks, and a variety of ceramic birds from Bair’s personal collection. (Sorry, they’re not for sale.)
The wall of the small hallway between the dining area and the bathroom has another wallpaper design and is covered in small floral art in ornate gold frames. There’s a lovely wooden cabinet at the end.
As I looked around the front room, Bair said, “I can’t wait to get you in the bathroom.”
Without pausing, he immediately acknowledged how that sounded, but when I saw the room for myself, I could totally understand where he was coming from.
The bathroom on the main floor is beautiful.
There’s more vintage wallpaper, another really beautiful wood cabinet and some art pieces on display.
And the place is quiet.
With the building set back from the street, one really can’t hear the traffic sounds or feel the vibrations of delivery trucks passing by.
Honestly, the space is so beautiful that I just wanted to stay there and hang out.
Then there’s the patio.
Bair has several tables with umbrellas on the gated patio. There are also benches and a variety of plants that give it a garden feel.
The porch has a small bar where staff can serve drinks to outside guests.
Bair said he loves the quiet porch, and the patio doesn’t feel like downtown.
“It was so much fun to do everything … get it set up, ready to open,” said Bair, who couldn’t wait to pour a glass of wine, relax and take it all in.
People can just really relax here, he said.
A bit about 316 E. Main St.
The house at 316 E. Main St. was built in the 1850s, according to Bob Brunkow, a historian with the Belleville Historical Society.
Brunkow described the house as a “German-American folk house,” a typical style of home for the German working class at the time.
He said the property was purchased by Charels Deobald in 1859. Deobald was a boot maker and seller. By the 1860s, Deobald built an adjoining shop next door.
Today the shop is the site of the Crystal & Spice Shoppe.
The Deobald family lived in the house until 1902, when it was purchased by M.G. Gannon, a butcher.
Gannon sold the lot in 1917. However, he failed to deliver the property deed and was taken to court, according to Brunkow.
Edward Rock became the property’s owner in 1918.
Brunkow said that Rock added the front porch to the house in 1921 and that the addition changed the look of the house to a bungalow style, making it look newer than it was.
Rock’s wife, Clara, lived in the house until at least 1975. She later lived in a retirement home and died in 1985.
The Rock family owned the house until 1986.
In addition to providing a home to many Belleville residents over the years, the house was also home to several businesses.
After some digging around the BND’s archive, I found that the site was also home to Sweet Sinsation, Belleville Cake Shoppe and Mainline Café.
Vintage Tea Room was there from September 2017 until December 2022.
About Bungalow
Bungalow is located at 316 E. Main St. in downtown Belleville. Hours by appointment are 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.
For appointments, bookings or additional info, call 618-212-0316 or visit bellevillebungalow.com. Follow the Facebook page for updates and upcoming pop-up events.
