On the heels of the closing of Mangia Italiano, it looks like we also have to say goodbye to another St. Louis institution, the Eat-Rite Diner.
We will have to find a new diner to haunt at 4 a.m. for a slinger or a smashed burger because not only is St. Louis’ historic Eat-Rite has permanently closed.
Rene Knott, beloved local Today in St. Louis co-anchor, tweeted a photo today taken by KSDK news photographer Joe Young of the Chouteau Avenue building appearing to be entirely closed down.
My buddy and @ksdknews photog @mightyjofoto just sent me this pic. ☹️💔 pic.twitter.com/CYZ6Cel03H
— Rene Knott (@reneknottsports) December 18, 2020
And just this evening, the owners have confirmed to KSDK that their last day of business was on December 12, 2020.
The diner was purchased by Shawna and Joel Holtman a couple of years back in the hopes of saving the local landmark from extinction and restoring the run-down restaurant to its former glory.
"It's a lot of money and a lot of work," Shawn Holtman told the Riverfront Times in February 2018. "However, we're here to save this part of St. Louis history. I didn't want to see it torn down and turned into a parking lot for a baseball game. I want to see history live on."
St. Louis restaurant and history lovers have been reeling this week from the closure of the storied Mangia Italiano on South Grand, but this loss is likely to hit even harder: People have been grilling burgers at this little shack since 1935.
To read more about the history of Eat Rite in St. Louis, dig into our in-depth story from 2015.
There is no word yet on the future of the building, but we will keep you updated.
Email the author at [email protected]
