1933 Lounge by St. Elmo to Open at The Gilmore in Gilbert
Thompson Thrift, a nationally recognized full-service real estate company and leading multifamily developer, has announced that 1933 Lounge by St. Elmo has signed a lease for an approximately 8,000-square-foot restaurant at The Gilmore, a 35-acre mixed-use development in Gilbert, Arizona.
The new restaurant will represent the first 1933 Lounge location outside Indiana and will bring Huse Culinary’s dining and cocktail concept to Gilbert and the broader Southeast Valley. Thompson Thrift expects to deliver the restaurant space in October 2026, while 1933 Lounge is anticipated to open in fall 2027.
The addition is expected to strengthen The Gilmore’s growing collection of dining, retail and lifestyle offerings and further establish the development as a destination within the rapidly expanding Gilbert market.
1933 Lounge Expands Beyond Indiana
1933 Lounge is a 21-and-over restaurant and cocktail lounge operated by Huse Culinary, the restaurant group behind St. Elmo Steak House, an Indianapolis institution established in 1902.
The concept builds on the long-standing hospitality heritage associated with the St. Elmo brand while offering a contemporary dining and entertainment experience. Its menu features the well-known St. Elmo Shrimp Cocktail, along with sushi, aged steaks and signature cocktails.
The restaurant combines food and beverage offerings with an intimate, speakeasy-inspired setting. The name 1933 refers to the year Prohibition ended in the United States, and the concept takes inspiration from the atmosphere and elegance associated with lounges from that period.
For its Gilbert location, 1933 Lounge will bring these elements to a new market while maintaining the hospitality approach and culinary traditions associated with Huse Culinary.
Craig Huse, CEO of Huse Culinary, said the company is excited to bring 1933 Lounge to Gilbert. He described the concept as a setting where cocktails, food and hospitality come together in a sophisticated and energetic environment.
Huse also noted Gilbert’s growth and changing community profile as factors supporting the decision to establish the restaurant in the Southeast Valley.
The Gilmore’s Mixed-Use Development
The restaurant will be located within The Gilmore, Thompson Thrift’s 35-acre mixed-use development at the northwest corner of Val Vista Drive and Germann Road, near Loop 202.
The project was designed to combine dining, retail, office, hospitality and residential uses within a connected environment. A Main Street-inspired entrance, pedestrian-friendly walkways and landscaped gathering spaces are intended to connect the various components of the development.
The approximately 200,000-square-foot commercial portion of The Gilmore is anchored by a recently opened Safeway. The commercial area also includes restaurants, retail businesses and other amenities intended to serve residents and visitors.
The development is complemented by The Residences at The Gilmore, a 300-unit luxury apartment community scheduled to welcome residents later in 2026.
Together, the commercial and residential components are designed to create a mixed-use destination that provides residents with access to housing, shopping, dining and other services in one location.
Growing Restaurant and Retail Offering
Thompson Thrift said The Gilmore is approximately 90% leased, reflecting continued interest from businesses seeking locations in the growing Gilbert market.
Ashlee Boyd, managing partner of Thompson Thrift Commercial, said the company’s original vision for The Gilmore was to create a destination that would introduce new dining and lifestyle experiences to Gilbert and the wider East Valley.
Boyd said 1933 Lounge fits that vision and noted that Thompson Thrift already has an established relationship with Huse Culinary through previous projects in Indiana.
The decision by Huse Culinary to expand 1933 Lounge outside Indiana for the first time adds another distinctive restaurant concept to The Gilmore’s tenant mix. The restaurant is expected to provide an additional destination for dining and evening entertainment when it opens in 2027.
Established Partnership Between Thompson Thrift and Huse Culinary
The Gilbert agreement represents another collaboration between Thompson Thrift and Huse Culinary.
The companies have previously worked together at Fishers District, Thompson Thrift’s mixed-use development in Fishers, Indiana. That partnership brought both 1933 Lounge and The HC Tavern + Kitchen to the development.
The existing relationship provided the companies with experience working together on restaurant development and leasing. The Gilbert project extends that relationship into Arizona as Huse Culinary expands one of its concepts into a new geographic market.
The new restaurant also adds to Thompson Thrift’s strategy of curating a diverse mix of tenants for its mixed-use developments.
Supporting Gilbert’s Continued Growth
The Gilmore is located in one of the Southeast Valley’s rapidly growing communities. Thompson Thrift said Gilbert’s population growth, demographics and household incomes have created opportunities for new restaurants, retailers and lifestyle businesses.
The development was planned around this changing market environment, with the goal of creating a combination of uses that can serve both nearby residents and the wider community.
The addition of 1933 Lounge is part of that broader strategy. Its restaurant and cocktail lounge format adds a food-and-beverage offering aimed at adults and complements the development’s existing retail and dining components.
The restaurant space is expected to be delivered in October 2026, giving Huse Culinary time to prepare the location before the anticipated fall 2027 opening.
Thompson Thrift’s Arizona Development Pipeline
The Gilmore is one of several projects supporting Thompson Thrift’s continued activity in Arizona. The company currently has a number of developments across the state, including Pointe17 and Refinery at Pointe17 in Phoenix, The Maddox in Buckeye, Stella in San Tan Valley, Southbridge Marketplace in Maricopa, Elliot Tech Center in Mesa and Germann Commerce Center in Queen Creek.
Across its broader portfolio, Thompson Thrift has invested billions of dollars in communities throughout the United States over the past four decades. The company is involved in development, construction, leasing and management of real estate projects across multiple sectors.
With The Gilmore nearing full commercial occupancy and the planned arrival of 1933 Lounge in 2027, the mixed-use development continues to expand its collection of dining, retail and residential offerings in Gilbert.
The new restaurant will mark an important geographic expansion for Huse Culinary while adding another established hospitality concept to Thompson Thrift’s growing Arizona portfolio.
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