South City Restaurant is closing after 63 years in business

ST. LOUIS, Missouri (First Alert 4) – After decades in business, Uncle Bill's Pancakes on Kingshighway will be closing its doors for good.

“I am 80 years old. It’s about time,” said owner William Choi, who has worked at the South St. Louis restaurant since 1987. He is the third owner.

Choi said their West County location on Manchester Road will remain open. It belongs to his nephew.

Uncle Bill's Pancakes opened in 1961 and has received dozens of awards and accolades as a popular breakfast spot and late-night diner.

Choi said that as a Korean immigrant, buying the restaurant represented the American dream for him. He remembered coming to the country with just a few dollars in his pocket and after several years of working various jobs, he was given the opportunity to open the business.

“I saw this place and said, 'This is it,'” he recalled. “'This is my dream.'”

Choi shared the news with employees while First Alert 4 took video from the restaurant. Many of them were visibly upset when they heard about the closure.

Kimberly Watson, who has worked as the restaurant's manager for 39 years, said she hopes to reopen.

“I’m sad,” she said. “I feel like this is my whole life.”

Choi emphasized that while business has slowed following the pandemic, the decision to close the restaurant is purely a personal one. He said he will list the building after its last day open on Tuesday, Oct. 8.

He said he hopes the right buyer can maintain the restaurant's status as a St. Louis staple.

“I want to keep the tradition,” he said. “When business is good, it’s a gold mine.”

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