This week on The Sauce, Lauren sits down with Joe Edwards, the St. Louis icon behind many of the Delmar Loop’s most beloved landmarks, including Blueberry Hill, The Pageant, Delmar Hall, Pin-Up Bowl, The Moonrise Hotel, and Magic Mini Golf.
Joe takes us back to 1972, when he opened Blueberry Hill during a time when the area had fallen on hard times, and explains how the Loop evolved from a 1930s shopping district into one of the most recognizable destinations in St. Louis, now named one of the “10 Great Streets in America” by the American Planning Association.
In this episode, we talk about:
- The origin of Blueberry Hill and the famous jukebox that earned international recognition
- Joe’s friendship with Chuck Berry and his 209 shows in the Duck Room
- How the Loop became a live music ecosystem, from 340-capacity rooms to 2,000-capacity venues
- Why musicians love playing the Loop, plus what makes Pageant catering a standout
- The story behind The Moonrise Hotel, the rotating moon, and St. Louis’ early rooftop bar scene
- The purpose of the St. Louis Walk of Fame, and famous inductees you might not realize are from STL
- The Loop trolley, how it works, and why it’s a perfect “park once” weekend plan
- What’s next for the Loop, including new development bringing more residents to the district
- Joe’s philosophy for hospitality, building places that make people smile
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
The Sauce is presented by Swade Dispensary, with 11 locations across Missouri. The podcast is also sponsored by LHM, featuring holiday pop-ups at 360 Downtown and 360 Westport, plus festive experiences at Union Station including the Polar Express Train Ride and the Train Shed transformed into the “Sleigh Shed.”