MABEL SUEN
The future is uncertain for the Stellar Hog's Holly Hills location.
Not a week into the new year, any hopes that 2021 will be better for St. Louis restaurants have been dashed in the form of some sad news for barbecue fans: The Stellar Hog (5623 Leona Street, 314-481-8448) is closing its Holly Hills location indefinitely.
The restaurant announced the news in a Facebook post this past Sunday, citing the pandemic-related loss of revenue as the reason for its closure.
"5 years ago we opened the Stellar Hog; today we will be closing indefinitely," the post reads. "Unfortunately we cannot keep operating at a loss and have exhausted all our funds."
Alex Cupp, a former fine-dining cook who got his start in professional barbecue at Adam's Smokehouse, opened the Stellar Hog with his dad, Alan, in 2016. The pair had recently purchased the iconic Holly Hills bar, Super's Bungalow, and it wasn't long before they were earning as much of a reputation for the brisket coming out of their smoker as the icy Busch beer being served from the century-old watering hole.
As their barbecue project grew, the Cupps invested into the space and outdoor patio, turning the Stellar Hog into one of St. Louis' best barbecue restaurants. They continued that investment even as the pandemic raged, redoing the patio's service area and putting in an outdoor bathroom in anticipation of increased demand for outdoor dining. Unfortunately, business failed to meet their expectations, and they were forced to make this difficult decision.
The news is not all bad for the Stellar Hog, though. As the Facebook post notes, the Cupps do not consider this a permanent closure, but rather an indefinite one. Signing off with a "We will see you again soon," the post teases that this is not the end for the south city location.
Until then, fans of the Stellar Hog can rest assured they will still be able to get their barbecue fix: The Cupps are currently moving forward with their plans for a location in Chesterfield, which should open in the next few weeks. In the meantime, the restaurant will continue to offer catering services for those who need a taste of Cupp's outstanding smoked meats.
"We have a lot of questions with no answers, but we do have Hope, which we will hang onto as tight as possible," say the Cupps.
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