St. Louis' Iconic Bevo Mill Restaurant Shuts Doors

By CHERYL WITTENAUER

ST. LOUIS (AP) — It survived the sale of Anheuser-Busch to InBev late last year. But the iconic Bevo Mill restaurant in south St. Louis apparently has fallen to the nation's hard times.

Just two months after Anheuser-Busch donated the historic Bevo Mill to a city agency, the owner who leases the restaurant known for its towering Dutch windmill has closed its doors.

The city said Friday that finding a new tenant will be tough in this recession.

There was no answer at the telephone of restaurant owner David Gilbert. Even the Bevo Mill's Web site was under construction.

City spokesman Ed Rhode said Gilbert had missed his February and March payments to the St. Louis Development Corp. The agency had acquired the property from Anheuser-Busch for $1 in January.

The city sent a letter to Gilbert on March 12 warning him that he was at risk of defaulting on his lease unless he responded in 10 days. Rhode said the agency and Gilbert talked on Thursday, but he didn't know what was said.