Gluten-free A2 Cafe closes downtown

After less than a year in business, A² Cafe has closed its doors downtown. Its last day of business was Monday, Oct. 10, as reported by the St. Louis Post Dispatch.

Owner Audrey Faulstich posted notice of the closure online on Monday, Oct. 9. Faulstich said while she had a solid customer base, the cost of doing business downtown was too high. “We would have done well had I been in a suburb like Webster Groves where rent was a lot lower, and we didn't do such a big build out,” she said.

Faulstich and Audra Angelique opened A² Cafe in April with the goal of providing healthy alternatives to those with gluten and dairy intolerances. Faulstich took over operations after Angelique left the business in June.

Faulstich said she intends to pursue her doctorate in nursing practice. She hopes to work in health policy using what she has learned from her time in the restaurant industry. “I had no business background or really any restaurant experience. I learned how to be a leader. I gained business skills, marketing skills, cooking skills,” she said. “I feel a lot brighter.”