our story
We are the Black Sheep…
…and we proudly wear the name.
Doing things just a little bit differently is the attitude we’ve taken since the inception of Black Sheep Social Club. We aspire to create Midwest favorites with an international influence—and a twist of inspiration. Our bar has 24 taps of craft beers and ciders with a focus on local and regional breweries, with an eclectic wine list and a cocktails inspired by the kitchen and the garden with nods to the classics.
Our unique cuisine pairs perfectly with our rustic décor, reminiscent of the grain and spice warehouse it once was—warm steel fire orbs, beautiful zinc bar top, hand crafted seating, and industrial details abound. You’ll find that our casual and inviting atmosphere blends perfectly with our fun and unassuming service—reflecting our passion for thoughtfully sourced and created food and drink.
We’re here to provide the community with a unique experience—encouraging our guests to rediscover what it means to eat in Iowa and remind them of all of the wonderful ingredients just outside their door. At Black Sheep Social Club, we aim to build a community of rebels and free-thinkers, the curious and maybe just a bit irreverent. The kind of people that do things just a little bit differently.
About our Building
We love our home! Built in 1914, it served as a wholesale grocery distribution center — The John Blaul's Sons Company — through the late 1950s. Midwest Food Distributors then took over operations until 1994 when it became The Great Furniture Mart. The furniture store closed a few years before the flood of 2008 when water reached a depth of eight feet inside the building.
B R I C K W A L L S
The building is made of Purington street pavers (cobblestone). Larger and harder than brick, they are the main reason the building has held up so well. The owner of the Purington factory in Galesburg, IL, was a friend of John Blaul; that's why this is the only building of its size in the world constructed entirely of street pavers!
T I L E F L O O R
Our tile floor pattern was inspired by the Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn, NY — another great historical building with similar architecture and character.
Z I N C B A R
Our cast zinc bar was custom made in Savannah, GA, and is the largest of its type in the country. As water stains accumulate over time, the bar will eventually become a beautiful bluish patina.
B R A S S C L O C K
Modeled after a sidewalk clock at the corner of Maiden Lane and Broadway in New York City, this piece of artwork was a joint project of Conveyor Engineering Co. and Wonka Clockworks.
W O O D C O L U M N S
15-1/4” square Douglas fir columns from a northern Oregon forest have supported this 4-story structure since 1914. Nine columns were removed to allow resident parking in the garage below. They were crosscut and made into the stools for our community table where you can see the rings dating back to the mid 1800s.