Fried chicken restaurant Southern has closed permanently in Midtown St. Louis

Southern at 3108 Olive St. has closed its doors after more than eight years in Midtown St. Louis.

The fast-casual spot pioneered Nashville-style hot chicken in St. Louis, long before national chains like Gus' opened up in town. With rising star Rick Lewis as its opening chef, the place drew rave reviews and devoted fans, helping provide an alternative to diners thwarted by the long lines at Pappy's Smokehouse next door and quickly drawing lines of its own. But Lewis moved on, opening Grace Meat + Three in the Grove, and apparently some of the fans did too. In a tweet, the restaurant simply stated today that it had closed after dinner service yesterday.

"This was a very difficult decision," the posting read. "We have loved sharing our food with you and encourage you to continue your support of locally owned, independent restaurants." 

Reviewing the place a few months after its opening in 2015, RFT Critic Cheryl Baehr wrote, "The fast-casual eatery is a marriage between the Nashville-style hot chicken shack of your dreams (think the famous Prince's) and a Deep South deli. The space has a haute-rustic feel, sort of like a butcher counter you'd find in the French Quarter: concrete floors, reclaimed wood and metal tables and chairs, and sepia-colored vintage photos. A bright red sign that simply says 'Eat' hangs from a corrugated metal wall. Diners line up — and, yes, there is typically a line — next to a glass display case that showcases various housemade foodstuffs." The headline of her review pronounced the place "every bit as good as the hype."

RIP, Southern. We're going to miss you.

This article was originally published by the Riverfront Times.