PHOTO BY NANCY STILES
A statement from owners Brian Shearrer and Darin Jenkins was posted in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and on the Kopperman's Facebook page Friday afternoon.
"In February, one of the owner partners experienced a personal medical emergency requiring a substantial ongoing commitment to his own recovery. After months of trying different combinations of hours and staffing, we realize that we cannot sustain operations at Kopperman’s," the statement read. "We have decided to close the business effective immediately. We appreciate everyone’s patronage over the nearly 34 years we’ve been open and will miss our many regular customers."
The owners also told the Post-Dispatch that they would be open to a buyer, but they could not main normal operations until then. They also said that Hartford Coffee Company (3974 Hartford St., 314-771-5282), the duo's fair trade coffee shop located in a former south-city duplex on Hartford Street, isn't going anywhere.
"We remain fully committed to Hartford Coffee. It is closer to our home and requires much less direct and constant attention, so we can maintain it while managing our health issues."
The kosher-style deli was included in the RFT's list of The 10 Best Sandwich Shops in St. Louis and received nods for items such as its tongue sandwich. With a people-watching-worthy patio and fun menu names like the Ike and Tina Tuna, "The New York-style Deli of St. Louis" was a local gem with a real following.
We'll update this story if we learn more.
