You can sense the pride — and a little bit of angst — in August-Busch's letter Thursday saying thanks but no thanks to Belgian brewer InBev's offer of a cash buyout.

Those sentiments were shared by more than a few folks around the region as news spread that the brewery's board would resist the takeover.

"Like most St. Louis natives, I feel like Anheuser-Busch belongs here," said Larry Smith, who works in human resources for Henkel, the German company that makes Dial soap. "They are a cornerstone of St. Louis and we'd like it to stay that way."

Smith sat with a friend in the garden at John D. McGurk's Irish Pub in Soulard, sipping a Bud Select and smoking a cigar. He said he hoped for the best but didn't expect it.

"It really is out of the hands of people like us," Smith said. "Our wishes are one thing, but what happens if InBev offers more?"

That was a common reaction to the news: elation that A-B isn't down for the count yet and uncertainty about the rounds to come.

"We're happy. We say, 'Let's have it out,'" said Ed Martin, a founder of the website SaveAB.com and the former chief of staff to Gov. Matt Blunt. "But we realize that this is the first battle in a long war."

Martin was in Imperial at Twister's Iron Bar Saloon working for the cause, gathering signatures for his petition drive opposing InBev's buyout and handing out bumper stickers.

"This was really inevitable, that A-B would turn down InBev's offer," Martin said. "The question will be: What is InBev's reaction now?"

St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay was reserved on his blog, saying time will tell. "We will certainly learn more about A-B's own plans over the next week or so — and more about InBev's promises. When we do, we'll be better able to see where St. Louis stands."

What stockholders will do remains to be seen. Jerry Heet, 67, of Sappington, said he has sold about 18,000 of the 20,000 shares he accumulated mostly while working as an A-B electrician. And despite his personal objections to the sale, if InBev takes its offer directly to shareholders, "I probably will liquidate, to be honest," he said.

Outside the brewery, a number of A-B employees declined to comment. One woman said, "I wouldn't know what to say if I could. Nobody knows anything."

At the same time, the Licari family of Oakville was leaving the brewery with their children after a tour. Barb Licari and her husband, Marty, both said they'd like to see the company remain American-owned.

"Being from St. Louis, we're proud of it," Marty said.

Barb knows about buyouts. She works for Ralston Purina, acquired a few years back by European conglomerate Nestlé. She said, "If you're a shareholder, and you don't have any ties here, I'd guess you'd sell."

Adam.Jadhav@post-dispatch.com

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