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BLIMPY'S
Continued from Page 16B
a reputation for being rude and sometimes it can
come ff wrong" Wagner said. He explains that
employees have to coach first-timers through, so that
the line gets taken care of efficiently "If people don't
have a clue how to order, you have to coach them
through it,"he said."We're kindofeducatingthemso
they'll know how to order next time."
Blimpy's definitely has a following of loyal cus-
tomers that have been regulars for years. Magner
claims to recognize customers today that came in the
establishment when he worked there in the early
'70's. Also, "there are customers that come in that
you know by their order,"he said. "I don't know their
names but I know what to put on their burger."
There are also the new students that start coming
in every fall after discovering Blimpy's. When asked
if he liked Blimpy Burgers, Peter Christiansen, a
first-year LSA student, said, "Oh definitely. This is
the bomb"
His brother, Dino, a second-year LSA student,
added, "It's good food and it's cheap" Both students
have been coming to Blimpy's since they started
attending the University.
"I came here when I was a senior in high school
and I've been cominghere eversince,"saidthebroth-
ers' friend Riley Brennen, a first-year LSA student.
Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger has been around for over
40 years and is now serving the fourth generation of
"Blimpy Addicts," as the menu says. Its obvious pop-
ularity with the young and old of Ann Arbor ensures
its success for years to come.
BLIND PIG
Continued from Page 7B
Michigan Union and Schoolkids Records. More
information can be obtained by checking out
their web site at http//:wwwarborlink.com/blind-
pig. Located on South First Street, the Blind Pig
is fairly easy to spot and parking is plentiful in a
parking structure directly across the street from
the bar. The bar tends to get crowded during the
evenings with University students and local resi-
dents coming to relax and unwind after at their
day's end.
Everyday, people 19 years old and up are admit-
ted; special nights such as (with two pieces of
identification). Cover charges range from $5 to
$12 depending on who is playing.
"The Blind Pig has a fun and relaxing atmos-
phere. There are a lot of regulars - pool's one of
the main attractions. Most of the employees are
about the same age and this is a low-tension,
relaxed setting for employees and patrons," said
bartender Russ Swinson.
A local Ann Arbor resident and several friends
agree. "We come here two to three times a week to
shoot (pool). Everyone's really friendly, especially
the bartenders," said Aaron Taylor.
Hundreds of pictures of the many regulars
dressed up in New Year's Eve or Halloween cos-
tumes for the past nine years line the hallways of
the Blind Pig. If Prohibition era was ever to resur-
face, these funny-looking, dressed-up Ann Arbor
residents would definitely be regulars at this Blind
Pig.
About Town
Blind Pig offers charm,
hi~storic atmosphere
By Ha*-Jin Kim
Daily Arts Writer
When people first walk into the
Blind Pig, perhaps the glare from all its
mirrors may momentarily cause them to
go blind. Mirrors advertising beer com-
panies line both the concert room
upstairs and the pool hall / darts wall
downstairs, with bars on both floors.
Although it would make sense, the bar
does not get its name for these phenom-
ena.
Instead, the T.....R
te s "blind pig"
goes back to the ~ Where 206
'20s - the prohi- ~VWhen: The sali
bition era in the 3 p.m. to 2 a.m.,'
United States. showcase is open
Since it was ille- to 2 a~m.
gal to buy or pos- ~Phonh:996-85
sess alcohol dur-
ing this period of
American history, many people secret-
ly snuck into underground taverns
which were referred to as blind pigs.
Being'an illegal operation, most of
them were well hidden from sight.
Such devices as fake doors or hidden
passageways were created, along with
the use of passwords in order to main-
tain their secrecy.
When at the Blind Pig, patrons get
an odd feeling of being both in the pre-
sent and the past with its mixed decor.
Huge modern televisons hanging from
the ceiling in nearly all corners of the
rooms provide patrons with the latest
sports news on ESPN. Yet the dim
lighting and the chipped wooden
booths with their worn ruby plastic
coverings add a cozy, timeless feel to
the bar.
"I love these booths. I come here and
sit and relax with my friends ... and
just have a good time," said Marian
Park, an LSA sopho-
rd Pig Aiarger-than-life
:. First St. poster of James
On is'open from Dean covers the
and the music entire door to the
. 30 .m. women's bathroom,
p whereas a similar
's5, poster of Marilyn
Monroe hangs on
the men's bathroom
door, adding to the bar's classic feel.
That's not to mention its old-fash-
ioned fire-engine-red popcorn
machine. Likewise, an aged cigarette
dispenser, with knobs to pull for one's
choice of a brand, stands nearby A
'60s-ish jukebox plays CD selections
such as Dr. Dre and Soundgarden,
helping to finish off the bar's timeless
decor.
If you're not in the mood to lounge
on one of the many high stools or at the
bar tables scattered across the Blind
Pig, they offer pinball machines, dart
boards and three pool tables - with
free pool everyday from 3 to 8 p.m. A
stage with a retro-ish blue and white
floor tiling is set up on the ground floor
where bands such as Pearl Jam played
in '92 and Nirvana played several times.
A mini-bar lined with pictures and
charcoal drawings of such stars as Mick
Jagger, Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley
is located upstairs, and a regular bar
advertising the beer of the month -
currently Rolling Rock - is down-
stairs.
Todd Headrick, general manager of
the Blind Pig, finds this aspect of the
Blind Pig most interesting. "I would
say what is unique about the Blind
Pig is that it's a music showcase
upstairs and a bar downstairs," he
said.
The Blind Pig opened in the late
'70s as a blues club, but at about half
or even less of its current size. Its
patrons mainly consisted of radical
left-wing students with socialistic ide-
ology. After all, right next door was an
underground student newspaper - the
Student Democratic Society, which
printed articles criticizing the govern-
ment.
During the '80s, as the Blind Pig
began to expand, it gradually turned
into a rock 'n' roll club as the rest of the
nation went into a frenzied high of pop-
rock culture now known as the "Big
'80s." Pool tables were added to the bar
in September 1987, while the Blind Pig
was under constant construction as it
nearly doubled its size. In the '90s the
bar once again underwent a change as it
evolved into a concert club with nation-
al and regional as well as local bands
performing.
The Blind Pig hosted a fund-raiser
for WCBN, the University campus
radio station, last Friday. Jackopierce
will be performing Nov. 15. Tickets can
be purchased at TicketMaster, the
See BLIND PIG, Page 14B
Singer/Dancers,
Musicians & D.J.'s
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Monday, November 11,1996
University of Michigan
MichiganUnion-SophieB.Jones Room
Auditions: 3:30 - 5:30 p.m.
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Tuesday, November 12, 1996
Western Michigan University
Dalton Center - School of Music
Auditions: 1:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Rochester, Michigan
Wednesday, November 13, 1996
* Oakland University
Vamer Recital Hall
Auditions: 12:30 -2:30 p.m.
PGSITUNALSUAAJLA -L
" Technicians.
- *Assistant Choreographer *
" Costumed Characters."
(Berenstain Bearsnq
* Costume Shop Personnel.
CAL.(419)627-2390 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
For additional sites or
information contact:
Cedar Paint,
Live Entertainment
Post Office Box 5006
Sandusky, OH 44871-5006
(419)627-2390
arpoint .com III
THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
MEDICAL SCHOOL
Student Biomedical Research Program
invites you to attend the
42nd ANNUAL
STUDENT BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH FORUM
Tuesday, November 12, 1996
3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
is th
'rowsley Center
(Seconid floor lobby)
On the Medical Center Campus
(0ver 100 medical and undergraduate students are expected to presint
posters of their 1996 summer researh experiences.)
followed by a encral information mectin T for the
19)7 SUMMER BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH PROGRAM
on the Medical Center C .ampus
(5:00 to 6:00 p.m1.)
I-or morcinformation: fTice of Student Biomedical research Prorams at 763-1296