Sauce Magazine acquired by Big Lou Holdings, launching new era for St. Louis food media - Sauce Magazine

By Sauce Staff // October 26, 2023

Get ready, St. Louis. Big Lou Holdings, the newly formed St. Louis-based media company behind Riverfront Times and three other award-winning American alt-weeklies, has acquired Sauce Magazine, St. Louis’ beloved guide to the city’s food and drink scene since 1999.

Chris Keating, founder and CEO of Big Lou Holdings, said his plans include the revival of our print edition, beginning this December, but Sauce will otherwise remain the same publication with the same unique, independent voice that has informed St. Louis about the St. Louis food scene for more than two decades.

“We wanted to buy Sauce because – like everyone in St. Louis who loves food – we love Sauce,” Keating said. “We are excited to continue to bring the great writing, jaw-dropping photography and unforgettable events that have cemented Sauce as St. Louis’ culinary trailblazer for a remarkable 24 years.”

Allyson Mace, the publisher and founder of Sauce Magazine, is sticking around as this new era for Sauce unfolds. “The team at Sauce and I are excited by this opportunity to grow Sauce further, as well as relaunching the print edition,” she said. “Sauce has been my life for 24 years, and I look forward to this evolution as we enter our 25th year. By bringing together two STL media institutions, we’ll offer the most well-rounded coverage of St. Louis’ culinary scene the city has ever seen.”

Big Lou Holdings said Sauce’s six full-time employees will be retained in the acquisition, ensuring the magazine’s eloquent voice and rigorous coverage of the local food scene will remain consistent. The magazine will return in print with the highly anticipated annual Best New Restaurants issue, which will hit RFT newsstands around the St. Louis metro area in December 2023.

Our readers will continue to be able to devour their favorite content via a range of digital formats, from our web presence at saucemagazine.com and the weekly Edible Weekend newsletter to our podcast The Sauce, which has grown rapidly since its launch in April 2023. We will also continue to unite the community through food with long running and highly revered events such as the Saucy Soiree, Sauce Food Truck Friday and Harvest Festival.