Joe Edwards (St. Louis)
Encyclopedia
Joe Edwards is a St. Louis, Missouri
and University City, Missouri
, businessman
, community figure, and civic leader notable for his contributions to the Delmar Loop
area of both cities. Joe Edwards' creative vision, risk-taking, and leadership have helped transform the Delmar Loop into one of the most vibrant restaurant, shopping, arts & entertainment districts in the United States, leading it to be designated "One of the 10 Great Streets in America" by the American Planning Association. His nationally renowned Blueberry Hill
restaurant and music club was the first of a new era of unique owner-operated businesses in the area. His subsequent attractions include the restored 1924 Tivoli Theatre
movie theater, The Pageant
concert nightclub, Pin-Up Bowl martini lounge and bowling alley, Flamingo Bowl bowling alley and lounge located in downtown St. Louis
, the luxury boutique Moonrise Hotel, its 8th floor Rooftop Terrace Bar, and the casual fine-dining Eclipse Restaurant.
He is the founder of the non-profit St. Louis Walk of Fame
and is currently spearheading an effort to bring a fixed-track vintage trolley
system to The Loop, linking it to Metrolink and Forest Park attractions, a project that received a $24.9 million dollar grant from the Federal Transit Administration. Joe Edwards also has renovated numerous historic buildings (including creating the Flamingo Bowl on Washington Avenue) and encouraged one-of-a-kind specialty shops, restaurants, and cultural institutions to make The Loop their home.
Edwards has had a long friendship with rock guitarist Chuck Berry
who performs once a month in the Duck Room of Blueberry Hill.
In 2003, Edwards received the prestigious St. Louis Award. In 2004, Edwards received an honorary doctorate of laws from Washington University in St. Louis
followed by an honorary doctorate of fine arts from Saint Louis University in 2005, and an honorary doctorate of humanitarian letters from the University of Missouri-St. Louis in 2006.
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
and University City, Missouri
University City, Missouri
University City is an inner-ring suburb in St. Louis County, Missouri. The population was 35,371 in 2010 census. The city was shaped by Washington University in St. Louis, whose campus abuts the city to the southeast....
, businessman
Businessperson
A businessperson is someone involved in a particular undertaking of activities for the purpose of generating revenue from a combination of human, financial, or physical capital. An entrepreneur is an example of a business person...
, community figure, and civic leader notable for his contributions to the Delmar Loop
Delmar Loop
The Delmar Loop is an entertainment, cultural and restaurant district in University City, Missouri and the ajoining western edge of St. Louis, Missouri. Most of its attractions are located in the streetcar suburb of University City, but the area is expanding eastward into the Skinker-Debaliviere...
area of both cities. Joe Edwards' creative vision, risk-taking, and leadership have helped transform the Delmar Loop into one of the most vibrant restaurant, shopping, arts & entertainment districts in the United States, leading it to be designated "One of the 10 Great Streets in America" by the American Planning Association. His nationally renowned Blueberry Hill
Blueberry Hill (restaurant)
Blueberry Hill is a restaurant and bar located in the Delmar Loop neighborhood in University City, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. Legendary performer Chuck Berry performs there for one hour on a single Wednesday each month, downstairs in the Duck Room....
restaurant and music club was the first of a new era of unique owner-operated businesses in the area. His subsequent attractions include the restored 1924 Tivoli Theatre
Tivoli Theatre (St. Louis)
The Tivoli Theatre is currently a three screen movie theater located in the Delmar Loop area of University City, Missouri. It opened on May 24, 1924, as a large, single screen theater with streetcar service in the middle of Delmar Boulevard bringing people to the theater from nearby residential...
movie theater, The Pageant
The Pageant
The Pageant, sometimes called The Pageant Concert NightClub, is a music venue in the Delmar Loop district, located on the western edge of Saint Louis, Missouri, just east of the University City half of the loop area....
concert nightclub, Pin-Up Bowl martini lounge and bowling alley, Flamingo Bowl bowling alley and lounge located in downtown St. Louis
Downtown St. Louis
Downtown St. Louis is the central business district of St. Louis, Missouri, the hub of tourism and entertainment, and the anchor of the St. Louis metropolitan area. The downtown is bounded by Cole Street to the north, the river front to the east, Chouteau Avenue to the south, and Jefferson Avenue...
, the luxury boutique Moonrise Hotel, its 8th floor Rooftop Terrace Bar, and the casual fine-dining Eclipse Restaurant.
He is the founder of the non-profit St. Louis Walk of Fame
St. Louis Walk of Fame
The St. Louis Walk of Fame honors well-known people from St. Louis, Missouri, who made contributions to culture of the United States. All inductees were either born in the Greater St. Louis area or spent their formative or creative years there...
and is currently spearheading an effort to bring a fixed-track vintage trolley
Heritage streetcar
Heritage streetcars or heritage trams are a development of the heritage railways that are becoming popular across the world. As with modern streetcar systems, the vehicles are referred to as trams or tramcars in the United Kingdom, Australasia and certain other places , but as streetcars or...
system to The Loop, linking it to Metrolink and Forest Park attractions, a project that received a $24.9 million dollar grant from the Federal Transit Administration. Joe Edwards also has renovated numerous historic buildings (including creating the Flamingo Bowl on Washington Avenue) and encouraged one-of-a-kind specialty shops, restaurants, and cultural institutions to make The Loop their home.
Edwards has had a long friendship with rock guitarist Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
who performs once a month in the Duck Room of Blueberry Hill.
In 2003, Edwards received the prestigious St. Louis Award. In 2004, Edwards received an honorary doctorate of laws from Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
followed by an honorary doctorate of fine arts from Saint Louis University in 2005, and an honorary doctorate of humanitarian letters from the University of Missouri-St. Louis in 2006.