IMAGINE A NETWORK
OF COFFEE SHOPS
TRACE your finger across a map of the Midwest. Go from Iowa City, IA to Minneapolis, MN to Aberdeen, SD and then back the other way. Now imagine a network of Bill-friendly coffeeshops along the way.
It's not an impossible dream. After all, there are already four -- Bill's and Uptown Bill's in Iowa City, Hard Times in Minneapolis and Red Rooster in Aberdeen. Each welcomes all, including those who are not welcome in other places. Also, each has decided that part of its mission is serving individuals with disabilities.
There's the beginning. Now let's get to work on adding more coffeeshops like these in our communities. Again, this is not just a dream. Almost every month, I hear from someone who imagines opening a coffeeshop like Bill's. I have met with people in Des Moines and Dubuque, Sioux Falls and Sioux City, Minneapolis and Council Bluffs who have coffeeshop dreams. Tom Walz has met with others. And there are likely many more.
These are seeds, waiting to be planted and tended. We can help each other plant these seeds and nourish their growth into thriving coffeeshops. We don't have to all be the same, or have the same business models. But we can all be inspirations for each other.
You might think of a collection of Bill-friendly coffeeshops as being like open source software. Microsoft can't control open source software; Starbucks can't control open-source coffeeshops. That's because Bill Sackter belongs to us all.
~ Tom Gilsenan
SUMMER TOUR PLANNED FOR
BILL-FRIENDLY COFFEESHOPS
Uptown Bill's is organizing a Midwest summer tour of 'Bill-friendly' coffeeshops' -- places which share the spirit of Bill Sackter. We have several coffeeshops on our list already, but we're looking for more. Is there a coffeeshop in your community we should visit? Let us know.
WALKING ACROSS IOWA
FOR UPTOWN BILL'S
A good friend of Uptown Bill's plans to walk across Iowa starting later this month. He plans to travel on US 30 starting from Clinton and walking west all the way to Nebraska. US 30 was the first cross country highway and was originally called the Lincoln Highway. Our friend will promote the coffee house by talking about us and showing "A Friend Indeed," the documentary about the life and legacy of Bill Sackter. He hopes to raise a little money, too. His trip will take him through Clinton, DeWitt, Mt Vernon, Tama, Marshalltown, Ames, Boone, Carrroll, Denison and other communities. Let us know if you'd like him to stop and see you. You're also invited to walk with him through your town. More details soon.
COMING EVENTS AT
THE COFFEE HOUSE
Here's a look at music and other events coming up at Uptown Bill's:
Monday, April 4, 4:30 pm: UI World Music Ensemble
Tuesday, April 5, 6:30 pm: Amy Schmidt and Orion Walsh. Almost Circle opens. Here's a link to an Orion Walsh video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4LT2GK500Y.Visit the Uptown Bill's page on Facebook for a link to an Amy Schmidt video.
Thursday, April 7: Benefit concert for Uptown Bill's. Hosted by I-Envision, UI business student group.
Saturday, April 9, 7-9 pm: Saturday Night Music with Pigs and Clover
Sunday, April 10, 2-7 pm. Bill's Birthday Bash. Music, food and a screening of the original "Bill" movie.
Monday, April 11, 4:30 pm: UI World Music Ensemble 6:30 pm: Java Jog
Thursday, April 14, 6 pm: Art and Music Night featuring Bevineau and the Heartmakers
Friday, April 15, 7 pm: Open Mic. Read a story, share a poem, sing a song.
Saturday, April 16, 7-9 pm: Saturday Night Music with Jay Wetmore and Elise Fillpot
Monday, April 18, 4:30 pm: UI World Music Ensemble
Thursday, April 21, 6 pm, Art & Music Night
Friday, April 22, 7-9 pm: Open Mic
Saturday, April 23, 7 pm: Saturday Night Music with Reunion
Tuesday, April 26, 6-7 pm: Live TV broadcast of Tom's Guitar Show
Thursday, April 28, 6-8 pm: Art & Music Night featuring UI World Music Ensemble
Friday, April 29: Open Mic, 7-9 pm
Saturday, April 30: Saturday Night Music with (5:30 pm to 7 pm) and Central Standard Time (7-9 pm).
Thursday, May 5, 6-8 pm: Art & Music Night
Friday, May 6: Open Mic, 7-9 pm
Saturday, May 7: Saturday Night Music with Kathy Maxey, Larry Mossman and friends.
Monday, May 9, 7 pm: Billy Mack Collector (from Pennsylvania)
TEN YEARS AGO IN BILL'S
COFFEESHOP NEWSLETTER
Here's a snippet from the April 2, 2001 issue of the Coffeeshop Newsletter:
...Plan now to bring your teddy bear or other stuffed animal favorite
to school for Fur Fest. It's April 19 at Wild Bill's. Watch for more
details in the next issue of this newsletter.
...Mr. Potato Head hasn't been returned to Wild Bill's, but his presence
has been detected. One coffee shop customer found his glasses in a second
floor room in North Hall. Another insists he saw Mr. P in California: "We
spotted him in a speeding car on I-280 headed north towards San Francisco."
He promised to return the spud: "If we see him, we'll chase him down,
force him into a priority mail carton and mail him to Wild Bill's.
Meanwhile, Leslie O'Leary has suggested that we be prepared for a ransom
note. Can't you imagine the note: Meet our demands or we'll turn Mr. Potato Head
into tater tots. The plot thickens. Additional information -- real or imagined --
is welcome.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bill's Coffeeshop Newsletter is a virtual extension of Wild Bill's Coffeeshop and Uptown Bill's Coffee House. Published since 2000, the Newsletter is written by Tom Gilsenan, a former manager of Wild Bill's and now director of Uptown Bill's. You can write to him at
tomgilsenan@gmail.com
Wild Bill's Coffeeshop is a project of the School of Social Work at the University of Iowa. It has been a part of campus life in Iowa City for more than 35 years. Located in North Hall, the coffeeshop is open weekdays from 8 am. For more information, check the Friends of Bill's Coffeeshop page on Facebook. You can call the coffeeshop at
(319) 335-1281. Donations to support the work of the coffeeshop may be sent to: Bill's Coffeeshop Fund, University of Iowa Foundation, P.O. Box 4550, Iowa City, IA 52244. Contributions are tax deductible.
Uptown Bill's is the crosstown cousin of Wild Bill's. Now in it 10th year, it includes a bookstore, performance venue and other businesses in addition to a coffeeshop. Located at 730 S. Dubuque, Uptown Bill's is open every day from 8 am. For more information, check the Uptown Bill's page on Facebook. You can call Uptown Bill's at
(319) 339-0401. Donations to support the work of Uptown Bill's may be sent to: Extend the Dream Foundation, Uptown Bill's, 730 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City, IA 52240. Contributions are tax deductible.
