Union Tavern to open in August on East Sprague

The Union Tavern on East Sprague Avenue will be open in August.

Dale Kleist, the project’s developer, said he wasn’t ready yet to describe his plans for the tavern, which was issued permits this month to convert the 111-year-old “palmistry” building on East Sprague Avenue into a restaurant and bar.

First, Kleist will remove an existing “lean-to” in the building’s rear and build an addition to the existing brick building at 1914 E. Sprague Ave.

Once home to Pete Seeberger’s barbershop, the building was more recently owned by the Marks family, who are best known for their battle with City Hall over a botched police raid in 1986 that seized $1.6 million in cash and $160,000 in jewelry from the family.

For years, the structure was a vacant building that carried a sign advertising palm readings.

Kleist owned downtown’s Fast Eddie’s bar until 2011.

In 2010, he and Mark Starr, owner of David’s Pizza, opened Famous Ed’s restaurant near 57th Avenue and Regal Street on the South Hill, which was closed last year when Rock City Grill moved into the space and purchased kitchen equipment and furniture from Kleist and Starr.