On Saturday, March 7, the line outside Vincent Van Doughnut in Tower Grove looked like any other busy weekend morning. But for regulars who had been bracing for the worst after an abrupt late January shutdown, the quiet reopening of the neighborhood favorite felt a lot more like a comeback story.
The shop had suddenly announced on January 29 that it would be “closed until further notice,” leaving customers and nearby business owners worried. Then, on March 5, owner Michael McKinlay took to Instagram to say the doors would reopen that Saturday and to explain what had been happening behind the scenes.
In that post, McKinlay shared that in October 2025 he attempted to take his own life and was treated for multiple serious injuries, including two broken backbone vertebrae, a fractured neck, a cracked sternum, a broken nose and stitches across his face. He also said he tried to return to work about two weeks after being discharged. His comments, along with details about the reopening, new baked goods and morning menu changes, were reported by Sauce Magazine…