ST. LOUIS — After spending a considerable amount of time in downtown St. Louis, restaurant chain Hard Rock Cafe will be closing their doors for good Thursday evening.
Hard Rock Cafe, a foundation of Union Station, initially made the announcement in June via their Facebook page. In part, the restaurant said, "We are exploring other opportunities in St. Louis and hope to re-enter the market when we can identify the right new location."
Although Union Station is undergoing a massive reconstruction project, Hard Rock Cafe still sat underneath the large awning in the parking lot. But, even despite the somewhat hidden location, one of the eatery's restaurant made it a point to drive far, far away to give his final goodbye — eight hours, specifically.
Scott Northup calls Detroit home, but the over 100 Hard Rock Cafe restaurants he's visited around the country could be described as one of his favorite pastimes. When Northup heard the Hard Rock Cafe in St. Louis was closing, he drove eight hours to say send his formal condolences to both the restaurant and its workers.
Still, despite the imminent closure, Northup said the one-of-a-kind spot at Union Station helped him perfect his own slice of Hard Rock heaven. His home, recreated like the interior of the restaurant, is filled with memorabilia and memories; a seemingly permanent shrine to a shrinking food icon.
Northup said he doubts St. Louis will get another Hard Rock Cafe in the future, citing the closure of more than a dozen stores in the United States. In fact, after Wednesday comes and goes, St. Louis will become the largest city in the country without a Hard Rock Cafe.
What will life be like for Union Station after Hard Rock Cafe closes? Certainly, downtown has a brighter future ahead of itself, and with plans to turn the once-glimmering Union Station into both a hotel and aquarium, the possibilities help brand what could become a new face of St. Louis. And, to fit that theme of a more friendly-family environment, the Hard Rock Cafe building will soon be a candy soda fountain emporium-style business.
Everything comes and goes, but those memories can never be erased. You will live on in St. Louis, Hard Rock.
