This was one of the moments when I realize that I love my job and that the bar is Good.

Yes, we have amazingly talented acts that travel from all over the region to play here. Many of these folks have become my friends as well and have captured the admiration of our customers. However, there is a happiness and a pride that swells in me when I see our hometown folks doing their thing so well and having such a great time doing it. I don’t know if the bar has become what I necessarily envisioned it to be when I opened the doors 6 years ago, but it certainly has evolved into something better and more important than anything I could’ve dreamed up alone. And as I’ve watched this evolution I understood that the best thing for me to do was to open the door, sit back and facilitate and support local artists of all sorts. Let them loose. Put trust in our talented people.
We have a great line up of festivals and events throughout the year in Winona, and we bring in lots of great artists from all around, but our local artists are the blood in the beast. They live here, work here, are our friends and neighbors, we can see them throughout the year in various venues town. They deserve all the support we can muster up. They make our town unique and vibrant.

Take Mike Munson for example. From the first time I heard him play blues guitar, I knew I wanted to give him every opportunity I could to play at the pub. I had never attempted to book a weekly artist before, but soon Mike was playing every Sunday evening. The only complaint I ever have about his sets is that they come to an end. Mike (the man and the musician) exudes quality.

And then there’s Jim Trouten. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that Jim is the most clutch player in the Winona arts world. He sits behind the scene and runs flawless sound and lights all over town. He teaches kids how to play music. When he gets on stage, his shows are pitch perfect and engaging. He’s a member of the Winona Fine Arts Commission, helping to advocate for artists get them grants. When you see Jim, buy him a beer and say thanks. The guy is a stalwart member of our arts community.

Winona has been fortunate to be home base to: Robert Armstrong. Jake Ilika. Mudcat, Pat, Bruce and the open mic crew. XArt. My Private Eye. Beet Root Stew. WSU Jazz. The Ultrasounds. Riflebird. Jaybone Bell and Restless Light. Wake Up Bedhead. Boats Vs. Manatees. Thumbelina and The Tangerine Fists of Justice. Moondawg. Deep Sea Summit. Oktober. The Bus Boys. The Beef Slough Boys. Dan and Dusty. Northwoods Band. Schwa. WEDGE. Paco. Fat Rudy. Funk Stew. Fast Annie. North Country Band. Etc. Etc. Etc. There have been more great local acts than I can remember that have taken the stage at the bar over the years, and beyond that, the bar is only small component of a long and rich tradition of Winona’s live music and arts culture, which is always bulging at the seams. Honestly, it is a huge reason why I’ve moved back here, not once but twice. It is a big part of why I make Winona my home.

Other Notes:
As many of you probably already know. The bar’s remodel is for the most part finished and we have had the new room open for a few weeks. Come on down to check it out. We can certainly use all the support we can get after this huge and expensive project.

We have been getting some stellar beers in as of late. It’s amazing that when I opened the bar, my choice of IPAs to pour on draught was about 3. Now there are dozens. Last night, I couldn’t decide what to pour for myself, it was all so good: Victory Headwaters Pale, Surly Cynic, Summit Saga, Summit Maibock, Deschutes Obsidian Stout, Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye, New Belgium Fat Tire. We’ll also be tapping a Lucid IPA, Odell’s very rare Schott Through the Heart, Pyramid Apricot Ale, New Belgium’s Hoppy Bock and more in the upcoming weeks. (I’m also trying to lock down a firkin of Saga… shhhh…)

Although this post was about local artists, I can’t help but show some love to all the people who have come through recently and are coming through in the next few weeks. 4 on the Floor, Rogue Valley, North Country Bandits, Circle of Heat, Head for the Hills, Good Night Gold Dust, The Farewell Circuit, it was great to see you all. Prissy Clerks, Gospel Gossip, Porcupine, Greg Hall and the Neil Young folks, Tom Robinson, The Sex Rays, we look forward to your visit!

It’s been a while since I’ve written a new post for the website. This seemed as good a time as any.
I’ve been keeping myself pretty darn busy over the past few months.

Here’s a little taste of what’s going on…

About a month ago, I decided to move forward on an expansion project. We will be adding roughly 650 square feet to the pub by expanding into the mystery room that lays behind the big white wall in the lounge. We’ll also be putting in a 10 ft doorway between our main room and the new room, making it easier for folks to enjoy the entertainment from the sidelines and to release some people pressure from the bar.
It’s an exciting time, filled with many roadblocks, unexpected expenses, and of course, lots of work, but I am confident that it will add a lot to the joint and that folks will appreciate a little more room on the busy nights. I certainly appreciate all those who have offered their help. When we get to a point where we may need it, I’ll be posting requests for volunteers on our Facebook page, so stay tuned in there.
From this project, my new partners and I will be diving into the new restaurant project at the levee cafe spot. This is another very exciting project, and I’m embarking on the journey with Tom Fassbender (Red Tail, Boats and Blue Grass) and Lyon Smith (Smith Studios). We are expecting to be open by mid-April. Our menu, at this point, will be decided upon based on our kitchen remodel and what equipment we put in. Again, a lot of folks have offered to help. We totally appreciate it, and will let you know when we need volunteers. We’re planning a Kickstarter campaign to raise some funds to make the spot the best it can be, so stay tuned for that as well. Hopefully we can add some excitement to Winona’s riverfront with this venture.

Now, none of this is possible without the support of our patrons and customers. It is so exciting to see so many new businesses opening in downtown Winona. It seems to me, that the years and years of hard work by so many folks and organizations in the community are paying off. We, perhaps for the first time in my time here, are seeing an array of great local businesses offering different goods and services. People are noticing Winona from all around the region and the State. Dibs, Manitou Martial Arts Center, Mr. Groovy’s, Some Sum Studios, The Computer Dock, Nostaljia, Chapter 2, Broken World Records, Third Eye Tattoo, Cha Chis, Sole Sport are all great additions to the places we’ve grown to know and love, like The Blue Heron, Bub’s, The Bookshelf, The Acoustic Cafe, Blooming Grounds, etc. I know that what I say next may sound cliche, but these places exist because people choose to spend a little of their dough there. I hope that ‘to spend money locally’ is included in all of our lists of new year resolutions. All of these businesses choose to be downtown, we are all committed to improving the geographic core of our community, and with support, we will continue to grow and prosper, more places will open, more folks will come, more events will occur, and eventually downtown Winona will become the place that we all have been wishing for, working for and visualizing for many, many years. It is possible, but it all begins with financial support from our community.

And for that support, I want to thank all of you who stopped by Ed’s in the past year. I feel so fortunate that we are entering our sixth year of business. It’s truly amazing to me. When I first opened, I was so consumed by the thoughts and tasks of how a business runs, that I never had time to think of failure or success (or even a name!). When things settled down a bit, realities set in. I spent a year without a home, sleeping in the storeroom of the bar in the winter and a houseboat in the summer so that I could save the money needed to keep the business open. For most of the first year, I worked 7 days a week, 10-15 hours a day, but slowly we were able to add new bartenders. First Aliza, then Ava, then Justin, then Andrew, then Becca, then Dustin, then Paul, then Jenna, then Brandon, then Maggie, then Sarah. All have brought different strengths to the place and all have helped me keep my head on straight when I felt overwhelmed and under-rested. Thank your bartender the next time you stop in. I couldn’t have done it without them.

Lastly, I want to say a few words about our New Years Eve party itself. To me the day was a perfect example of how great the community is that surrounds Ed’s. I was beat down and broken by the time I started cleaning up to open for the day. I spent the morning dealing with roadblocks to the remodeling project, the afternoon in front of a computer to get some end of year bookwork done, recognizing that I may be in over my head.
I had no idea how I was going to get the place ready for one of the biggest parties of the year. However, within minutes of arriving, our ‘community’ started showing up. First Dawn, to let me know that things were going to be ok. She watched the bar while I ran some errands I had forgotten about. Mike and Jason then came by to join Dawn in the decorating and cleaning of the place. Rick and Jack (two folks I would consider invaluable mentors and friends) then wandered in to look at my project, offer suggestions, and remind me that its all worth it. The bands came in to set up, and Jim, acting on a suggestion I had made the night before had Jamie bring in some colored lights to turn what was an ugly wall covered in plastic to block the view of the work zone into an awesome light installation that was one of the most talked about things of the night. The folks in the bands, and the sound guy, Rob, were all total professionals, taking care of the entertainment aspect of the evening so I didn’t even have to think about it. And then my employees, Sarah and Brandon, came in to handle the bartending so I could watch the door. What most folks might not know about this, is that I, forgetting that NYE was on a Monday, forgot to schedule anyone to work! Sarah and Brandon recognized this and made a schedule for themselves without any goading from me. Becca, as always, was a huge help, dealing with more decorations, making me lists of things that needed to be done and picked up, and helping out as needed when the party finally started. Finally, as I calmed down and settled into the celebration, I was able to look around, see so many smiling faces, see my old friends rockin out on stage at the height of their musical prowess for 100 dancing and cheering revelers, see our bartenders hustling on a holiday night that they weren’t even scheduled to work on, see customers helping out by buying drinks and busing dishes, and I realized that this little bar is a truly special place. I have so many folks that believe in what we do here and they have my back and save my ass time and time again. It’s amazing. I am thankful, I am humbled, I am at your service.

Happy New Year.

As was commented on in the last bar post, I got to spend a chunk of the summer walking a pilgrimage through the Northern Spanish coastal countryside to Santiago de Compostela. It was an experience that will rank among the best of my life and I was able to get some refreshment for the soul to combat some fatigue I was having after 5 years of hard work to make the pub what it is today. Plus, returning to Winona after some time away always reignites my passion for our beautiful little city. There are not many places in this country where awesome natural beauty, plentiful arts and culture, great educational opportunities, and an affordable costs of living and doing business harmoniously coexist as wonderfully as they do in our little neck of the woods.

I want to thank my awesome staff for keeping things rolling while I was away.

That said, it is now time to rock it, Winona!!!

I’m not gonna lie, it has been a quiet summer here at the pub. Business is down from previous summers and lots of familiar faces have moved away or made themselves a bit more scarce in the hot months. However, we are not pessimistic! In fact, we want to give all of our fans a chance to be reminded that ‘the no name’ is the premier place for entertainment and delicious drinks in SE Minnesota. So we are crafting a late summer/ fall line up that can’t help but impress.

I’m writing a few hours before Charlie Parr and Mike Munson take the stage. As always, it is truly our pleasure to host one of the greatest performers (and all around good guys) to ever grace Midwestern stages. Charlie has been playing here regularly since our first months in business and has never failed to draw a large crowd of happy, dancing revelers. Tonight should be no exception. We are deeply appreciative of the fact that he lends us his talents from time to time. Charlie loves Winona and Winona loves Charlie! With our own excellent, regular Sunday night performer Mike Munson warming things up, this should be one show to remember.

As for future shows, we will be featuring the red hot Faculty Jazz combo on 8/17, Mudcat and Rude on 8/18, The Hobo Nephews on 8/24, Michelle Lynn on 8/31, The Sex Rays on 9/8, Whiskey Blanket on 9/14, Joe and Vicki Price on 10/5, Jamie Harper’s Annual Art Opening Extravaganza with Beet Root Stew and guests on 10/6, Porcupine on 10/19 and a Halloween Party for the ages with The People Brothers Band on 10/27…

…and this is just a sampling of the amazing entertainment we’ll be bringing you in the upcoming months…

Of course, we need folks to come by on afternoons and evenings when we don’t have blockbuster entertainment scheduled, so may we entice you with the finest selected beer and cocktail selection, largest patio, and best pub atmosphere in town???

At 7:30 on Tuesday 8/14 will be our rescheduled Beer Club beer tasting where you can mingle with other beer lovers, sample many great brews and win prizes. We’ll return to our normal ‘First Tuesday’ Beer Club schedule on 9/4.

As fall draws near, we’ll be featuring fine harvest and autumn seasonal brews. First up (and already hiding out in the cooler) is New Belgium’s awesome Hoptober and Great Lakes Lake Eerie Monster Imperial IPA.
Right now our tap line up is stacked with Surly Furious, Lucette Easy Rider Pale, Crispin Premium Cider, Pyramid Apricot Ale, Left Hand Sawtooth Ale, Victory Golden Monkey, and Deschutes Nitro Obsidian Stout.

Remember, we can’t do any of this without YOU! Make us your choice for an after work drink, an evening night out, or a late night cap. We’ll reward your visit with reasonably priced, tasty fresh drinks, fine art, quality entertainment, good service & conversation, and a personal commitment to helping improve and add to the overall Winona renaissance!

Stop by and remember why you love this bar

Cheers!!!

The month of May is one of the slower times of the year for us, but the wonderful music is still going on. This weekend, D.J. Rhumpshaker (aka Dr. Bob) will be spinning on Friday night, Jake Ilika and Joel Ward will be in on Saturday, and Mike Munson will be picking and singing blues on Sunday night. June 29th will see a show by 4 on the Floor and Charlie Parr, and with July will come yet another Wilkie Days, a week of incredibly talented musicians wrapped up by a piñata smashing in the backyard.

For you beer-lovers out there, June beer club (first Tuesday of the month) will feature summer seasonals from around the country. We’ve had some delicious summer seasonals on tap so far and even more to come from breweries such as Great Lakes, Deschutes, Brooklyn, Odell, Alaskan, and others. For the hop-heads, the recently released Summit Saga IPA is about to hit the pub, along with the Mojo IPA currently on our nitro tap, and as always, we still have Surly Furious on one of our two permanent taps. Be sure to check back regularly to keep up to date on our current tap selection.

Cheers,
Ed, Brandon, Paul, Maggie, Aliza, and Andrew.

From the months of remodeling (joined by such wonderful people in an epic barn raising effort) to opening night with The Hobo Nephews and my good friends in Beet Root Stew to this weekend’s Block Party and the upcoming 80′s Prom, this place has been filled with the magic of an arts community coming together and finding its place between these bluffs.

I am reminded today of events such as the 2008 election with Manfort and a big screen projecting the election results, and the Beatles tribute show featuring some of the finest, most professional young people you’ll meet anywhere. Then there was grand finale of the Thumbelina, Wake Up Bedhead and We are the Branches show where Queen’s ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ was belted out by great friends sharing a truly fun moment, and of course, the wild antics of G-Biz as he rolled around in his briefs on the dirty dance floor after Joe Hastings entered the building from the street and strutted to the stage on the bar top while playing a solo in a gas mask!

I would be neglectful if I didn’t give a thanks to those who have helped out along the way and guided me through the learning process. For example: Rick Alfaro for being the best mentor and friend a guy could have, Dave Sanders for helping to organize beer related events, Dawn Schreiber perched atop the back bar painting the walls, Jim Trouten and Jamie Groth patiently explaining the art of the sound man, Mike Munson lending us his talents every Sunday night, Dr. Bob bringing his puppets, cabarets, and eclectic records down regularly, WSU Facuty and Student Jazz for tearing it up during their monthly performances, Rebecca for joining me on many gravel road trips through MN and WI taking notes as we hammered out ideas for fun parties and a more proficiently run bar, and Tom Fassbender for putting together great, great shows. I can’t begin to thank everyone, but know you are in my heart.

In addition to all the great Winonans who have lent time and talent are the great friends I’ve made from out of town who continue to support us with regular visits and performances: Charlie Parr, Nicholas Mrozinski and The Feelin’ Band, Chris Koza and Peter Sieve and Rogue Valley, Gospel Gossip, The Goondas, Bird Sounds, The F*ck Knights, Hastings 3000, Ian and Teague from the Hobo Nephews, Apollo Cobra, The People Brothers Band, Maudlin, Quillan and Kim Roe, Peter Miller with We Are The Willows and Red Fox Grey Fox. This list goes on and on and on.

The art on the walls has been an essential component of the bar’s atmosphere and aesthetic. Maggie Sather’s current paintings and photography show should not be missed. Some of the highlights for me have been Jamie Harper’s epic fall exhibitions, Matt Semke’s many shows, Billy Hessian’s iconic images, Andrew Foss’s neo-impressionistic salon stacked shows and Lyon Smith’s large scale paintings. In fact, I don’t think there has been a time when the pub hasn’t been bettered by fantastic local artists!!!

Also, I would like to mention the great festivals in Winona that the pub has been proud to collaborate with. GRSF, FRFF, MWMF and Boats and Bluegrass have made Winona the hippest little secret spot in the state. I guarantee we won’t keep that secret too long!

Last, but certainly not least, I want to thank the great staff who have worked here and the patrons that have populated the place. Aliza, Ava, Andrew, Maggie, Justin, Jenna, Dusty, Rebecca, Brandon and Paul… I couldn’t have done this without you!

So… now come on down this weekend to support the Midwest Music Festival and the pub as we celebrate with three great nights of shows including Friday’s Block Party with Charlie Parr, The Feelin’ Band, Chris Koza, Beet Root Stew, Mike Munson and Dr. Bob! This party is for YOU!!!

Cheers!

Now on to the present and future…

This week, we have Beer Club on Tuesday, WSU Jazz on Thursday and Manfort back on Saturday night. In the upcoming weeks we’ll see Jim Trouten on St. Patrick’s Day (for the 5th year in a row!) and we have a huge weekend at the end of March with Moondawg, The People Brothers Band and Apollo Cobra (29th-31st). The Midwest Music Fest and 80′s Prom are also just around the corner (stay tuned for details).

The good beer is flowing too! Right now we have 21st Amendment’s Back in Black IPA, 2 Bros Heavy Handed IPA, Brau Bros Moo Joos Stout, New Belgium’s Dig Pale Ale, Hinterland’s Maple Bock and Fulton’s Blonde Ale. 1/2 of our taps right now feature Minnesota Breweries! We are truly building quite the brewing culture in our little fly-over state!

On March 20th, the folks from Lagunitas Brewing (Petaluma, CA) will be by to lead a special brewer’s edition of Beer Club. We’ll let you know more details as the date approaches.

As always we’d like to say thank you for all the support we receive from our artists and patrons. April 20th will mark 5 YEARS of the bar with no name. Whoda thunk it???

Cheers,
Ed, Andrew, Brandon, Paul and Aliza

Videos from Jim: http://www.youtube.com/user/logicsoundinc

Video from Jim: http://www.youtube.com/user/logicsoundinc