Historical April–May 2002 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
It was Monday, April 1, a day filled with sunshine and a harbinger of warmth to come.
I met Joe Edwards and we sat outside Blueberry Hill talking about a common interest, the renewal of Delmar east of Skinker. Edwards and his wife, Linda, opened Blueberry Hill in 1972 and they played an integral role in the creation of the Loop as we know it.
In the 1990s, Edwards’ interests began to move eastward, first to the Tivoli, and then across the Skinker barrier to the Pageant.
I told Joe that I understood why he and partner Pat Hagin would develop the Pageant.
After all, Blueberry Hill has hosted many musical groups. Why is he now buying more buildings on the south side of Delmar for a theatre and restaurant?
He said it was similar to his involvement with the Tivoli.
He read that it was to be torn down, that no developer had an interest in the property.
He then purchased it, created a new movie theatre showing 3 films simultaneously, and renovated the upstairs floors as office space for the Riverfront Times.
He had similarly assumed that developers would move to the city side of the Delmar Loop after the Pageant opened (to considerable success).
However, the reluctance of the professional development community in St. Louis again became apparent. Edwards quietly began to acquire property on 61xx Delmar and plans are now being finalized for anticipated usages. Edwards plans to convert the building next to Church’s Chicken into retail space at ground level and office space on top.
He also has purchased the Olivet Baptist Church.
He is now raising money to convert that structure into a community theatre where several nonprofit companies could perform.
The facade of the church will be preserved but there will be a whole new body. Plans for this have already been approved.
A small two story building to the left of the church will be converted into a restaurant.
The Del Pietro family has been interested in adding one of their restaurants here. Further east on Delmar sits a peculiar little building perched quite far back from the street.
When the Baptist church was a synagogue. the little building was a mikvah or ritual bath.
It has been used as a food pantry by the church.
On this site, the Regional Arts Commission will build a headquarters. Complimenting Edwards’ efforts, Neal Shapiro has bought the building where J&W Liquor was located.
He plans to create retail on the ground level and apartments on the second floor.
The long-awaited street and sidewalk improvements to Delmar west of the Wabash Station are slated to begin this summer. Edwards feels that this will bring more people to the street and to a hopefully growing number of new shops.
He also favors a trolley to carry them along.
The Pageant has already begun to acquaint more people with the eastern Loop.
On Friday and Saturday evenings the lines of young people waiting to get in are exciting. One of my graduate students told me that the Pageant finally gave her a reason to turn east on Delmar (at Skinker)• In a few years, people may wonder why they ever hesitated. Joe Edwards would like Delmar to be vibrant all the way downtown.
He has certainly helped to give that effort a substantial push.
The Commercial Committee, the aldermen of the 26th and 28 wards, and Arts in Transit put it in motion but Joe Edwards’ belief in what could happen and his entrepreneurship have made it a good bet. And we are close by to enjoy it.
Original photograph caption
Joe Edwards. Photo by Hope Edwards.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, April–May 2002.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2002_04.pdf, printed page(s) 3; PDF page(s) 3.
