Pujols 5 Westport Grill in St. Louis is a thing of the past. Sales at the restaurant named for Albert Pujols have slowed since the former Cardinals slugger signed with Anaheim, so the owner made a name change. The restaurant is now calling itself Hall of Fame Sports Bar and Grill.
They’re removing all Pujols-related items from the menu, though the Albert Pujols statue unveiled outside the restaurant in November will remain.
Pujols was never an owner of the restaurant, but he had a licensing agreement with them where he lent his name in exchange for 5% of restaurant profits being donated to his foundation. Pujols’ agent says since business has dropped, “it didn’t make sense” for the owner to continue his relationship with Pujols.
“Albert’s a good guy and a lot of people here still like him,” the restaurant’s owner says. “I think after some time has passed people will realize that what he did was the best for him and for the Cardinals.”
Nothing shows how much the fans have turned on a player quite like a restaurant changing its name. I bet Albert never thought it would come to this.
