Robbie Montgomery’s soul food restaurant, Sweetie Pie’s Upper Crust, has shuttered the doors of its St. Louis location, nearly a week after the singer’s son was found guilty on murder-for-hire charges.
Montgomery announced Wednesday that Sweetie Pie’s restaurant will “be closed until further notice” starting Sunday.
“We are closing to to make room for the more than four hundred million dollar, Cochran Veterans Hospital expansion,” said a notice posted to Montgomery’s Instagram. “We thank each and every one of you for your 25 years of support. It has been a pleasure to serve you, your friends and families.”
Sweetie Pie’s rose to popularity as the subject of the OWN reality show “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s.” According to OWN, the docuseries followed the “loud, loving and often singing Montgomery family as they work to expand their empire, one soulful dish at a time.” In addition to Montgomery, her son James “Tim” Norman and her grandson Andre Montgomery both starred in the series.
Last Friday, a federal jury charged Norman with conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. Prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty, but the former “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s” star could be sentenced to up to life in prison. Sentencing is set for Dec. 15.
Federal prosecutors said Norman, 43, hired two people to kill 21-year-old Andre Montgomery on March 14, 2016, then tried to collect on a $450,000 life insurance policy taken out on his nephew months earlier.
Montgomery left St. Louis after at least $220,000 in cash, jewelry and other items were stolen in a June 2015 burglary at Robbie Montgomery’s home.
Norman told jurors he and his mother hired a private investigator to find and confront his nephew about the robbery but he had no intention of hurting him.
While Sweetie Pie’s Upper Crust will soon end its run in St. Louis, the restaurant’s notice ends with an optimistic note.
“We hope to have an opportunity to serve you in the future,” the notice said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
