St. Louis tornado aftermath: Business opts not to reopen in Delmar Maker District

ST. LOUIS — A St. Louis business devastated by the May tornado announced it will not reopen.

The retail shop called the Lobby by Union Studio was inside the MADE Makerspace on Delmar Boulevard. The shop was mixed with St. Louis-made art and goods.

Eight months after a deadly storm tore through parts of St. Louis, the devastation lingers. 

Debris still surrounds the Delmar Maker District, a neighborhood that welcomed a wave of new businesses just a year before the storm.

“It is hard to see businesses come and go, but unfortunately after the tornado, it just was difficult for people to bounce back from,” said MADE Makerspace Executive Director Rachel King. 

The Lobby by Union Studio opened Sept. 2024 inside the MADE Makerspace and Mother Nature forced it to shut down in May.

On Thursday, the owners posted on social media:

King admits it’s sad to see them go. 

“We wish them our absolute best, and you never know, things change. Who knows what the next few years bring,” King told 5 On Your Side. 

For Craft Alliance in the Delmar Maker District, the Executive Director Bryan Knicely echoes a similar message. 

“The more people we have here, the more people that come in. So you know, having another organization similar to us and having a shop, it’s really great because it brings in people who are interested in buying and supporting this district. So, we’re really sad to see them not come back to the area and hopefully they will in the future because we really like that partnership with other organizations like us and shops like us,” said Knicely.  

As for the rest of the neighborhood, he noted traffic has been down since the tornado.

Knicely added, “It’s just been challenging that and along with the economy. The economy has really been affecting people and what they’re able to spend.”

For the MADE Makerspace, the plan is to do what they know best and get creative.

King said, “We definitely want to utilize this space again, we’re talking about a name change and a business model change and seeing how we can continue to see this space be a part of MADE Makerspace as well as part of the district. So starting in 2026, we will have a new partnership with the Novel Neighbor and we’ll be doing lots of exciting things.”

Union Studio still has another location in Webster Groves, where you can still support them. The shop works with 125 artists at that location.

As for the Delmar Maker District, businesses encourage you to come out for the third Friday of the month.