When the Del Taco at 212 South Grand Boulevard in Midtown closed in the summer of 2011, a grassroots coalition of urban preservationists and locals who just like cool things, damn it, banded together to save the iconic midcentury-modern "flying saucer" building from demolition. The result of their efforts: The developer agreed to renovate the building for its new tenants, which would split the space: Starbucks and Chipotle Mexican Grill.
The Starbucks opened this morning.
See Also:
- "Del Taco Leaves St. Louis" - "South Grand Del Taco: Scenes from the Closing" - "Mayor Slay Has Del Taco Building's Back" - "Del Taco Spaceship Will Now Serve Coffee & Burritos"
For comparison, here's what the Del Taco looked like when the fast-food chain's corporate officials came to take away the signage:
![Flying Saucer Starbucks Lifts Off in Midtown [Photos]](https://media2.riverfronttimes.com/riverfronttimes/imager/u/original/2635961/deltaco092812.jpeg)
