Photo by George Mahe
Two of the three locations of Guerrilla Street Food have closed, the owners announced on social media today. The location in the East Delmar Loop (6120 Delmar) and the counter inside 2nd Shift Brewing (1601 Sublette) on the Hill have both shuttered, effective today.
In February, Hardesty and Crespo closed two of the then-five remaining stores, saying they had overextended themselves, “and maybe we expanded too quickly.” At the time, the duo said they’d entertain a sublessee for the Delmar location. Then, in March, restaurants were forced to temporarily shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
SLM that closing the Delmar location was a blessing in disguise. “We took our biggest hit opening it and another big hit keeping it open, especially during the last several months,” he says. “Webster and Delmar do the same amount of business, and Delmar has five times the expenses.” In addition, the landlord was willing to forgive the remaining rent, Hardesty says, so “it only made sense to dial back.” The restaurant's Facebook post announcing the closure noted that “this location is no longer sustainable for us.”
When 2nd Shift Brewing eventually did reopen, Hardesty says it did so for carryout and patio service only. “We never reopened there,” he says. “It didn’t make sense to do so.”
Courtesy Guerrilla Street Food
GSF's Kamayan Kit (four appetizers, two entrees, two sides) has been popular during the eat at home pandemic.
Today's post stated that Hardesty and Crespo will be concentrating on making the Webster Groves location “the best it can possibly be” and will close that location for a week to move equipment and to reconnect with local farmers.
Asked why he and Crespo announced the Delmar closure after the fact, Hardesty says, “While we would have welcomed the extra revenue, we wanted instead to give the staff a calm and peaceful last week there.”
By redefining local source materials, the partners hope to add “a finesse touch” to their operation, Hardesty says, adding, "When the restaurant reopens on September 8, customers will see a refined version of what he had been doing.”
Meanwhile, the Guerrilla Street Food truck is also being upgraded to conform to St. Louis County standards. “You’ll see it around town and at 9 Mile [Garden] in a few weeks,” says Hardesty, who is also the managing partner for that operation.
