First Avenue Night Club

Address:

First Avenue and 7th St. Entry Night Club
701 First Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55403.


Mission Statement:

My hope is that First Avenue will continue bringing in developing artists and diverse audiences, and will remain a Minneapolis landmark.  - Steve McClellan

Info: 612-332-1775

LOCATION:

In the downtown theater district / entertainment area of Minneapolis, one finds the beloved  First Avenue and 7th St. Entry night club, sitting on the corner of First Avenue N. and 7th St. (55). (MAP)  Directions

DESCRIPTION and HISTORY

The First Avenue and 7th St. Entry is an independent, live music night club which has long been a favorite place of the people of Minneapolis to come and hear a variety of live bands playing original music, and to dance and enjoy liquid refreshment of all kinds. There are also a couple of pool tables, and several video games.

The building which is home to this night club, has a rounded front, is painted black, and has white stars on its side walls, with the names of many of the musical talent which have done showcases in one of the three event rooms found inside: The Main Room; which hosts local and national bands, The Entry; which hosts local bands and The V.I.P Room, where D.J.'s play a variety of themed music on different nights for dance enthusiasts.  There are large windows which look out to the street on the second floor, which on the inside is a bar area with side seating which looks down on the stage or stages located down below.

The building was built in 1937, presented as a brand new, stream-lined, art deco style Grey Hound Bus Depot, which offered the traveler a "modernistic and beautiful  travel center," with luxuries of the times, such as public phones, shower rooms and air conditioning.

In 1968, a new bus terminal was built and the building was rented to a café, cigar store and barbershop. In 1970, a rich entreprenuer, Allan Fingerhut, rented the building and started a live, rock music night club, after getting a liquor license, calling it The Depot, first of its kind in the city of Minneapolis.

The curved wall where the gates to the buses used to be, was turned into a "purple plush" main stage area. Despite the craze of disco and D.J'.s, the club scrappily  hung onto its venue and independence, offering live rock music from  local and national artists such as Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention, Ike & Tina Turner, The Kinks and The Allman Brothers, just to name a few. The management teams and the name of the place changed a few times, but the live music venue stayed intact.

In 1980, the management of Steve McClellan and Jack Meyers took over the club, now called Sam's, which they changed to First Avenue. They boosted the popularity and success of the club by booking "cutting edge national bands," as well as local indie groups. By matching local opening bands to larger national acts, they cemented financial success for the club throughout the 1980's, firmly establishing a rock music community.  Music artist, Prince, put the club front and center, by not only performing regularly on its main stage, testing new material in front of his fans, but also filming his movie, PURPLE RAIN, here on the main stage as well.

R & B also found a home here. Such artists such as Alexander O'Neal, Chico Debarge, Suanne Carlo, Morris Day, Jimmy Jam, and Terry Lewis graced the stage as well.

The 1990's brought more growth and change, as the club had become famous, 20 years into being in existence. With its "innovative spirit intact," the club offered a variety of genres, from punk to world beat to hip hop to a variety of types of rock, in both their Main Room stage and the stage in The Entry.  The V.I.P. Room was created as a third area venue, offering their own brand of the DJ craze in the nation wide explosion of DJ culture.

By 2000, the owners of the building which had housed  First Avenue and 7th St. Entry decided to sell this property, putting the club in danger of closing. Thanks to the efforts of longtime financial advisor, Byron Frank, the club was able to negotiate the purchase of this historic building, thus saving the business, thoughthis purchase was a money drain on the club's bank account. On top of this money drain, came a new financial challenge.  This independent club found themselves in competition with other "music venues" owned by large "national conglomerates" with deep pockets to book musical artists, which caused more financial troubles.

In frustration, Allan Fingerhut snapped and fired Steve McClellan, Jack Meyers and Byron Frank, taking over the club himself, but wound up ending it all in bankruptcy court, closing the club's doors. HORRORS! All of Minneapolis and the Mayor were in an uproar. With support from around the world and the Mayor, McClellan, Meyers and Frank quickly purchased the club's assets from the court and opened it up once again, and have been able to hold their own against big money competition ever since, now in business for 37 years.

HISTORY OF MANIFESTATIONS:

Sometime in the history of the building, a woman hung herself in one of the stalls in the women's bathroom.

This club has long been a favorite with the people of Minneapolis, as a place to relax, enjoy the music and dance!

MANIFESTATIONS:

The entity of a blonde woman, wearing a green jacket:

Often appears to staff and patrons of this musical venue club.

The staff has seen her on a number of occasions:

One frightened female patron reported seeing a grisly scene in the women's bathroom.

This female, blonde entity had appeared, showing this patron how she had originally died, by hanging herself in the 5th stall of the women's bathroom.

The D.J.s have heard strange sounds coming from their headsets.

 People have reported seeing dancing apparitions with no legs.

STILL HAUNTED?

It seems to be.

Though I couldn't find any paranormal investigation which confirms with evidence of these hauntings, eye witness accounts from both the staff and the public are convincing and probably true.

SOURCES INCLUDE:
first-avenue.com * theshadowlands.net * twincitiesfun.com