The red-and-gold confetti from Wednesday’s Super Bowl parade in Kansas City was likely still swirling in places when a social media missive was issued last evening from a Maplewood bar where hundreds had watched the game a few days prior. In a brief statement, Deer Creek Bar & Grill (3233 Laclede Station) announced that it had closed. The post read:
“Its been a great run, but it is with heavy hearts that we are closing our doors for good. We cannot thank each and every single one of you enough for coming in, and then continuing to come in. Words can’t describe how many stories and laughs we have all had, and we’ll remember everything with nothing but love and appreciation for our perfect staff, and the regulars who were as big a part as making this place as any of us! Thank you!”
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As several commenters noted, the last day of service was Tuesday night.
Chef Matt “Birk” Birkenmeier, owner of 4400 Consulting Group, remembers the location fondly. “It’s the ‘Cheers’ of Maplewood and St Louis County, where everybody truly knows your name,” he told SLM previously. “I got my start—and inspiration—cooking there over 26 years ago flipping the Famous Hugo Burger. It’s always been my go-to ‘home’ bar in St Louis.” In fact, Birkenmeier was doing back of the house food and liquor costing work when yesterday’s bomb got dropped. “I was as shocked as anyone,” he says. “John and Paige [managers John and Paige Cundy] put their hearts, souls, and long hours into the place. I’m sure there’s more to the story, but on the surface, to close such an iconic place doesn’t make any sense to me.”
SLM has reached out to the Cundys and to the bar owner for additional comment.
The Backstory
The former Cousin Hugo’s Bar & Grill space is steeped in history. In a past article, Lynde Anderson noted that the surrounding property (much of what became Deer Creek Park) had been in her family for nearly 90 years. Over the decades, the family retained the parcel, which was first a blacksmith shop and then a gas station before becoming a bar and grill beginning in 1938.
Tommy Bahn, a former manager at Balaban’s in the Central West End and a longtime Cousin Hugo’s customer, bought the business in 1988. In April 2020, Bahn temporarily closed the bar and grill during the pandemic. It then reopened that summer before shuttering for good in September.
After the closure, Anderson approached two longtime Cousin Hugo’s employees, husband-and-wife team John and Paige Cundy, who became co-managers. “Since the historic location has new management,” Anderson says, “we selected a new business name. Deer Creek Bar & Grill sits at the trailhead of Deer Creek Trail.”
When historic flooding last July caused extensive damage to many businesses along Deer Creek in Maplewood and Brentwood, including the bar and grill, it was forced to close for three months before eventually reopening in late October. “Because of the staffing shortage across the board, everywhere, it took so much longer than we thought it was going to take,” Paige Cundy told 5 on Your Side at the time, adding, “Everybody’s just so happy that we are back open, as are we.”
Editor’s note: This article has been updated from its original version.
