STLBlues Promotions - BB's Venue Profile at STLBlues

STLBLUES SPOTLIGHT ::
BB'S Jazz, Blues and Soups

The 700 South Broadway building which houses BB's was known as Phil's hotel as late as 1969 and has a colorful past.

Since it's original construction in the mid-1800's, in an area then known as "Frenchtown" with a further 3 story addition at the turn of the century, the location has been used as a home, boarding house, reception hall, mercantile, millinery, transient hotel, bar, diner, and a House of Ill Repute with 37 rooms between its 2nd and 3rd floors.

-- VISIT BB's RIGHT HERE --

FAST FACTS

• Part music room, part museum • Winner of many industry awards • Much more than 'soups' on menu

BB's, the St. Louis Blues and Jazz nightclub, was originally started in 1976 by Bob Burkhardt and Mark O'Shaughnessy. This first incarnation ran well into 1977. Typical Burkardtian woodworks, funky antiques, wood burning stove and art posters punctuated the busy eclectic atmosphere. In music, BB's jazz, Blues and Soups ruled. But alas, the first BB's closed a little over a year and a half from when it started.

Some BB's Alumni

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Amos Brewer
Arthur Williams
Barbara Carr
Billy Peek
Booboo Davis
David Dee
Eric Mcspadden
Erma Whiteside
Eugene Johnson
Frank Bauer
Gus Thorton
Jimmy Hinds
Jim McClaren
John May
John Wolff
Ladale Fitzpatrick
Larry Griffin
Larry Thurston
Leroy Pierson
Margaret Bianchetta
Marquise Knox
Marsha Evans
Marty Abdullah
Nephew Davis
Preston Hubbard
Riley Coate
Rockin' Jake
Ron Edwards
Scottie Miller
Sharon Foehner
Stacey Johnson
Tom Maloney
Willie Akins

A new business structure was created from 1980-81 for BB's second incarnation. BB's reopened and once more became a vital force in the St. Louis music scene, this time bringing Jazz artists like Earl Hines, Betty Carter, James Moody and Eddie Harris to the St. Louis marketplace as well as returning Blues favorites like Henry Townsend, Roosevelt Sykes, Yank Rachell & Sunnyland Slim to its stage.

Once again the popularity of the Blues was still far from what it is today, and BB's took a hiatus as a keeper of the alternative music flame. Fifteen years would intervene. On June 15th, 1996, BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups opened for the third time as a Jazz & Blues Nightclub & Restaurant. BB's is able to seat 150 people downstairs, and the 2nd floor is open on weekends and special events for gallery or patio seating and dining.

There are plans for the addition of a music walk of fame (St. Louis Music Milestones) of sidewalk inlaid plaques, with musicians hand prints and historical legends for the building's outdoor perimeter so that we may honor musicians who have lent their names to St. Louis' Music History.

Dinner is available Monday through Friday, and we prepare barbeque in front of our establishment during the Cardinal baseball season home games. Every night our full menu is available until at least midnight (2am on Friday and Saturday nights) and we offer a variety of specialty drinks & liquors, including a large assortment of domestic and imported Beers until 3am.

We're a new company that's been around for a long time. We're brimming with enthusiasm. We're stoked about our staff, and City's music and culture, the food, the drinks, the artworks, the memorabilia, and the whole overall operation. We hope that you'll like BB's too, even for the third time...... Mark O'Shaughnessy

Voted #1 Jazz And Blues Nightclub In The Riverfront Times Annual Best Of St. Louis Reader's Poll. Visit BB's Website