The Nearest Hard Rock Cafe Is Closing (But I LOVE What’s Taking Its Place!)

St. Louis Union Station is going through a very large and expensive renovation right now. It will soon become the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station--a sure hit for tourists and locals alike. So I found it very surprising that one of its signature restaurants will be closing its doors this August.

Over the weekend, the St. Louis Post Dispatch announced that The Hard Rock Cafe will be closing in August. Hard Rock is one of those restaurants I would always go to before a concert or even before a Cardinals game just to take in the atmosphere and the music. And it helped me further my small collection of Hard Rock Cafe t-shirts (along with Orlando and New York).

So what's next for the building that houses the restaurant? The new owners of the Union Station (Lodging Hospitality Management) are planning to build a candy and ice cream emporium. So I'll be able to be a kid in a candy store again!

Along with the new emporium, the new owners are planning to build a 200-foot Ferris wheel and host regular fire and light shows on the lake. Many of the attractions will pay homage to the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis (home of the first ice cream cone...get it?)

They're also putting in a carosel, putt-putt course, and live music area. Owners hope to have everything in order and ready for business by October 2019.