ST. ANN, Mo. (KMOX) — A bar in St. Ann will be the site of a unique community event in September.
KMOX's Carol Daniel went to Bar Code and Grill to find out what's behind the event called, "Let's Talk."
35-year-old Cedric Powell is there to greet us at the door.
He bought the bar 2 and a half years ago after over a decade at Anheuser Busch. He says customers were talking to him about their issues, marriage, work or loss right away.
"It's always packed. It feels like it since the first day I started," Powell said.
"Do you think it's something about you, or is it something about Bar Code?" Daniel asked.
"It's something about Bar Code. Bar Code is a family. Any given day you can walk in and see him sitting at the front door all of a sudden being security because my security didn't come that night," Powell responded. "Or you'll see one of the customers picking up the glasses and wiping off the table because the waitress is behind."
Powell says he would often tell them he couldn't help them, but the number of customers talking and the deaths of so many children led him to put together a mental health check-in.
Related: Three kids killed in St. Louis this weekend
"So it's just like, let's talk, let's keep it simple. Talk about anything you want to talk about. It could be you, it could be somebody else, or it could be just what's going on in the city," Powell explained.
Daniel inquired, "Tell me what your hope is."
"My hope is everybody that comes away from this ... they leave knowing they can talk to a therapist, they leave knowing they can talk to a counselor," Powell said. "They leave knowing that they're not the only ones going through something."
Ten therapists will be on hand to talk. Powell says he'll serve breakfast, but no alcohol until later.
"Let's Talk" takes place at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 8 at Bar Code and Grill in St. Ann.
At 5:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30, on KMOX, hear from one of the therapists that will be at the bar.
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Therapy on tap: Bar to bring in counselors to serve customers 1
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Beth Coghlan/KMOXTherapy on tap: Bar to bring in counselors to serve customers 3
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