The historic Eat-Rite Diner, which closed a few months ago, recently landed a new operator who said he will convert the tiny Route 66 restaurant into “a brunch focused diner concept.”
The news first broke on Facebook, when St. Louis-area chef Tim Eagan announced his signing of the lease:
In a comment thread with the post, Eagan said he was seeking a liquor license with the property. His resume includes several chef gigs at St. Louis-area restaurants and launching a catering business.
In a follow-up report KTVI-TV in St. Louis, Eagan explained why he leased the diner:
Eagan told FOX2 a friend shared a social media post with him in January showing the boarded up building and it sparked an interest in exploring what was possible with the iconic and historic location. […]
While he acknowledged that the current economic environment may “not be the best time in the world to open a restaurant,” Eagan said “if I didn’t do it, I was going to be mad about not doing it.”
Eagan signed the lease Friday. In a ‘if everything goes as planned’ framework, a May opening is possible. He said the building needs work, but that the Eat-Rite marquee would remain. The new restaurant will be called Fleur St. Louis, an homage to the idea of rebirth and rejuvenation in the city, Eagan said.
He promises a twist on the diner concept—“I don’t want a dive,” he says while promising a menu offering comparable to upscale dining. There will be an iteration of the slinger, two sausage patties, hash browns, eggs, chili and onions.
The Eat-Rite Diner in St. Louis closed in December for a second time in a little more than three years, with the owners citing crime, violence and COVID-19 regulations.
Joel and Shawna Holtman bought the restaurant, renovated and reopened it in the spring of 2018 after its aging owner closed it the previous fall when the building encountered mechanical issues.
The Eat-Rite is an institution and was a popular hangout for St. Louis Cardinals baseball fans because the stadium is nearby. It remains an old-school gem of worn Formica counters and hand-painted menu boards.
The Eat-Rite — known for its “Eat Rite or Don’t Eat At All” motto — sits on an old Chouteau alignment of Route 66 and sits a block from the better-known Tucker Boulevard alignment of 66.
According to Norma Maret Bolin’s “Route 66 St. Louis” book, a business has existed at the Eat-Rite location since 1916. Originally a coal-selling venture, it became a gas station during the 1920s. It converted into a White Kitchen restaurant in 1936, a Regal Sandwich Restaurant in 1957, then a Gateway Sandwich in the 1960s and ’70s. It finally was morphed into the Eat-Rite in 1986.
UPDATE: KMOV has more about the new operator:
“It’s not necessarily going to be more expensive, it’s still going to be accessible to everyone, but the quality of the food is going to be better and if people thought the Eat-Rite was great before they are going to think it’s even better now,” said Eagan.
The diner will have a new name, Fleur, like fleur-de-lis, a symbol of St. Louis. Eagan is still keeping the iconic Eat-Rite marquee.
(Image of the Eat-Rite Diner in St. Louis in 2013 by Paul Sableman via Flickr)
If I owned a diner, I’d give it to my wife, Melissa. She’s a Pro Delicioso Cook! (me too). Hours would be 6am to 1pm. Breakfast & Lunch/Dinner menu. Low cost high capacity foods and ingredients. Money saving/low waste freshly stocked. Many ingedients of which can be used for both breakfast meals as well as Lunch/Dinner meals. Close the doors at 1pm, two hours clean up time & getting pre-ready for the next day’s 6am business, clock out and head for home at 3pm! Perfect! Oh, to be young again.
That’s awesome. I love that little place, with its worn formica and everything. It’s got a soul.
It’s very exciting to see the EAT-RITE Diner back in business. Next time I’m back in my former hometown of STL, I think I’ll stop in and check it out. I’ll bet the newer concept will be very successful! Thank you, Mr. Tim Eagan for getting this party started.