Sweetie Pie’s, the St. Louis-based soul food restaurant chain popularized by the OWN reality series, Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s, which ran for nine seasons, has closed its doors in the city. The more than 25-year-old business started by Robbie Montgomery is no more in the state of Missouri following the conviction of her son, James “Timothy” Norman, in a murder-for-hire plot that ended in the death of Andre Montgomery Jr. in 2016. Andre was Ms. Robbie’s grandson and Norman’s nephew. All parties were featured on the show.
Ms. Robbie thanked fans and supporters for all the love they’ve shown in an Instagram post from September 20th.
“Thank you all so much for the many years of support ❤️,” she wrote. The caption accompanied a photo of a notice that said the eatery was closing to make room for a veteran’s hospital expansion.
“We thank each and every one of you for your 25 years of support,” the sign read.
She noted in the comments that people could still dine on Sweetie’s Pie fare at the sole location left, which is in Jackson, Mississippi. At one time, there were reportedly three Sweetie Pie’s locations in St. Louis before the Upper Crust spot became all that was left.
As mentioned, the restaurant is popular for its Southern cuisine and the show, Welcome To Sweetie Pie’s, was one of the first to launch on the OWN network during its incipient stages.
Norman, 43, was found guilty in September of arranging Andre Montgomery’s murder to get a $450,000 life insurance policy he fraudulently took out on his nephew in 2015. He listed himself as the sole beneficiary.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Missouri, the life insurance policy included “numerous false statements regarding Montgomery’s income, net worth, medical history, employment and family background,” the release stated.
Norman allegedly plotted to kill his nephew with the help of exotic dancer Terica Ellis, who was said to have lured Andre to the location where he was killed.
As for the restaurant’s end in the city where it began, patrons who lined the block of the Upper Crust location on its final day on September 25, were sad to see it go.
“She’s been serving north St. Louis forever,” a customer name Terry Davis told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “I hope she reopens. And soon.”