A Brief History

The bar previously in this building was a place called Lee's-Ten-O-Two, a joint that had seen better days. Michelle Hill was brought in to run the business only 3 months after other family members purchased the property in the summer of 1996. Michelle had experience in the bar/ restaurant industry and was taking classes to finish her degree in psychology from The Ohio State University. After a year or so of renovations to the business model& the interior decor, the St James was on track to a new image and future. A brand new jukebox, beer selection, and clientel base were the main components Michelle focused on to turn the bar around. After she finished her degree in 1999, she purchased the majority share of the business. It was a slow process given that the neighborhood was quite abandoned in the early years. The James was playfully referred to by its regulars as the neighborhood bar without a neighborhood. The struggle ended after about 3 years though and the bar has been a successful and thriving part of Italian Village for over 16 years now. .