Doug Auer – Delmar Maker District & Third Degree Glass

On this week’s episode of The Sauce, host Lauren Healey sits down with Doug Auer, co-founder of Third Degree Glass Factory and the developer behind the Delmar Maker District — one of St. Louis’ most creative, collaborative, and fast-growing corridors.Doug shares how Third Degree Glass began 23 years ago with a simple goal (a place to blow glass and teach workshops) and how it grew into the anchor of an entire makerspace ecosystem. He also talks through the evolution of the Maker District, the restaurant boom, and the community resilience that has shaped the neighborhood through floods, tornado damage, and rapid redevelopment.In this episode:The early days of Third Degree Glass and building a sustainable studio modelHow MADE STL and MADE for Kids came to lifePartnerships with Craft Alliance, The Magic House, and local makersThe district’s restaurant expansion — Esca, Florentin, Nixta, The Fountain on Delmar, and moreBehind the scenes of the tornado recovery and neighborhood cleanupWhat’s next for the district: retail, commercial, and long-term residential hopesDoug’s background in design and the glassblowing journey that started it allWhy Third Fridays remain the district’s biggest community drawSpecial thanks to this week’s episode sponsor — LHM, featuring holiday pop-ups at 360 Rooftop Bar, 360 Westport, and festive experiences at Union Station, including the St. Louis Polar Express Train Ride and the Sleigh Shed inside The Train Shed.🎧 Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify and all major platforms. 📅 New episodes drop every Tuesday.