The Eat-Rite Diner near downtown St. Louis recently gained new owners who plan to renovate the interior but keep its historic elements.
KMOX radio in St. Louis reported Joel and Shawna Holtman are busy trying to get the restaurant open by April 5, which is the home opener for the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team just a few blocks away.
Longtime KMOX reporter Kevin Killeen posted a photo of the couple on Twitter:
Breaking: Eat-Rite Diner is coming back under new owners. More at noon on KMOX. pic.twitter.com/5jOrYEN7ld
— Kevin Killeen (@KMOXKilleen) February 9, 2018
KMOX also reported:
Plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems have been updated, and elements such as the chrome-swivel stools and menu board will stay.
Holtman used to go to Eat-Rite years ago after a night on the town, and hated to see institution to go away.
KSDK-TV reported the Holtmans plan to launch a Kickstarter campaign to help pay for the renovations.
The Eat-Rite closed in October after its previous owner, L.B. Powers, encountered age-related health issues and an exhaust-fan problem.
The Eat-Rite remains an old-school gem of worn Formica counters and hand-painted menu boards where one could order cheeseburgers by the half-dozen or a slinger (a mess of fried eggs, hash browns, cheese and hamburger patties slathered with chili and onions) made to order.
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 only 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 site since 1916. First as a coal-selling venture, it became a gas station during the 1920s. It converted into a White Kitchen restaurant in 1936, then a Regal Sandwich Restaurant in 1957, then Gateway Sandwich in the 1960s and ’70s. It finally was named the Eat-Rite in 1986.
UPDATE 2/15/2017: The Eat-Rite’s new owners have launched a $20,000 Kickstarter campaign to help pay for repairs:
Your money will go towards updated electric, plumbing, new counter tops, a new air and heating unit, kitchen equipment such as new grill, fryer, refrigerators & freezers and so much more. This property has not gone through building inspections in nearly 40 years (seriously). Upon transfer of a business ownership, the city of St. Louis requires a variety of inspections and updates to be completed before it may reopen.
UPDATE 2/21/2017: Roamin’ Rich Dinkela dropped by the Eat-Rite to see how the renovations were going:
(Image of the Eat-Rite Diner in St. Louis by Paul Sableman via Flickr)
Oh no, not the R word.