Yet Another Era Ending

This is the Iconic Midwest, so we take it hard when the icons of the Midwest fade away: Chuck-A-Burger in St. John to close

The Chuck-A-Burger, the restaurant that looks like it could double as a set in "American Graffiti," is closing at the end of the year.

The restaurant, which opened at 9025 St. Charles Rock Road in 1957, will lose its lease Dec. 31.

Owner Ron Stille opened another Chuck-A-Burger two years ago in St. Charles, and he said he can't afford to buy the property here.

"It makes me sick because I grew up there," said Stille, 52, of Ellisville.

"It's touched thousands of lives, including my family and friends. When my dad passed away in 1999, I went down there in the middle of the night and just stood in the kitchen and cried. Because this was family … how much that store means to us."

The restaurant, which seats 42 inside and has 65 parking spaces, also is close to the hearts of legions of customers.

"That's where you went to meet your buddies or to take your girlfriend and sit in the parking lot and drink a cherry Coke," Stille said. "On Friday or Saturday night you'd cruise around in your '57 Chevy before you went to a drive-in movie or after a movie."

Chuck-A-Burger opened its first store in 1955 at Page and Pennsylvania avenues in Pagedale. At the company's peak, in the 1960s, there were eight locations in the St. Louis area.

I know there may be some old timers who think that the closing of the Pagedale store marked the real end of Chuck-A-Burger, but for me (being a bit younger) it will always be the Rock Road store. For my taste buds Chuck-A-Burger is the only place whose burger with cole slaw is worth a damn.

I know there will still be a place called Chuck-A-Burger, but out in the burbs of St. Charles just won't cut it.

What a drag it is getting old.