ST. LOUIS — Burger 809 announced this week that it will close its space within the Citygarden sculpture park downtown, saying the landlord terminated its contract early and without explanation.

Now, the Gateway Foundation — the non-profit that operates Citygarden and promotes public art in St. Louis — says Burger 809's owner Tasha Smith mischaracterized the situation.

In a statement released late Tuesday night, the Gateway Foundation said that for months, Smith was repeatedly asked to address contractual issues, such as maintaining required operating hours, and providing timely and accurate financial reporting. These things were never resolved, the foundation said.

“To be clear: this decision was neither sudden nor unrelated to business operations,” the foundation's reads. “The operat

See Full Page