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Southern Illinois University Carbondale OpenSIUC June 2001 Daily Egyptian 2001 6-22-2001 The Daily Egyptian, June 22, 2001 Daily Egyptian Staff Follow this and additional works at: https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/de_June2001 Volume 86, Issue 154 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Daily Egyptian 2001 at OpenSIUC. It has been accepted for inclusion in June 2001 by an authorized administrator of OpenSIUC. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Massive music fest The Mouse hits bottom Cruising the waters in a sail takes the stage at with this rm.. Walt like boat is a lot easier than you Saltpetre Cave. Musrc, PAGE3 tale. RANOOM TAKES, PAGE 4 might think. OUTDOORS, PAGE 12 histead of a cold one, try a frosty one STORY BY ERIC 0. JOHNSON PHOTOS BY MARY CoLUER The wooden door opens and a root beer. Fitz's out of St Louis, bell jingles against its hard, golden­ Mo., Blumer's out ofMonroe, Wis., brown painted surface. Frank and Sprecher's out of 1\1.ilwaukee, Sinatra's "Young at Heart" fills the Mich. small but oomfortable space inside McGinnis takes his three mugs the dimly lit Root Beer Saloon. A filled with one of each frothy root brown tin ceiling with a gold-paint­ beer and hands one to his ,\Ille and ed homer towers 12 feet high and the other to her fiiend. They sip out the golden hardwood floo~ are pol-' of the. !JlUgs and smile _like children . ished.- to• a shine.. The- walls are who have• disrovered cliooolate for cruMied with more than 200 large the first time. and small antlers and eccentric trin­ . "Our son told us how unique this kets that range fFom perfumes and place was and we had to see it for spice baskets from the West Indies ourselves," McGinnis says and adds, to gourmet candies that ovcnvhelni "Were coming back for lunch some­ the eye. time.." An old wooden bar stretches out The saloon offers food items that twelve feet on the right ofthe saloon. range from Michigan imported It is covered with the skin of enor­ pizza, gourmet sandwiches, seafood, mous python snake, jars of oolorlul applewood smoked duck, pheasant candy and a large brass cash register and quail, to the "Elvis Special" -a from a museum in Wisconsin. honey, banana and peanut butter Cynthia Lucas, co-owner, stands sandwich. There is also an espresso behind it wiping down some root and cappuccino bar and old-fash­ beer mugs. Her black hair is tied ioned ire cream sodas, sundaes and behind her head and she smiles as shakes. she greets customers entering the Blank walks to the back of the saloon out of the late June heat saloon and stands by his 1947, 80 "I want people to fed at home rubic inch Fbthead Harley and experience a oomforting atmos­ Davidson motorcycle. A moose phere," Lucas says. head, a swordfish, collectable guitars, Michael Blank, the other ro­ and many other intriguing eye-can­ ownei; walks up from the back ofthe dies are displayed all over the estab­ saloon. His daik hair hangs loosely lishment Everyone can see the satis­ over his shoulder and his smile is faction on his face as he watches the slightly hidden from his goatee. At patrons sitting at the tables eating first glance, he gives off the aura ofa and nosing around through all the rustic individual, but just like his items. saloon there is more than meets the "I love this place because I get the eye. chance to meet and talk to all kinds The Root Beer Saloon was ofpeople from all over," Blank says. established in November 2000 and is Blank, a SIUC alumnus, has two located at 4 Main St in Alto Pass, a degrees in marketing and was s~ town nestled in the luscious SIUC's Director of Marketing and ham wood trees of Shawnee Special Programs for 16 years. He National Forest in ~o~them Illinois. purchased the circa.1890 building in A person might miss the Root Beer 1981 and lived in it for six years Saloon, possibly Alm Pass, if he or while he w:as building his house.. she was fumbling with the radio or ."You could say it was a unique even taking a drink of their Coke.. If apartmenr.rve been remolding it on it wasn't for Blank's bright orange and offfor years," Blank says. 1934 Dodge Hot Rod, a person After an few hours in the Root might not ever take the time to slow Beer Saloon, it is not hard to imag­ down and oonsume the diversity of ine why people wonder how Blank the small enriching saloon. created the unique atmosphere. He Jim McGinnis, of Cape says it would be hard to duplicate Girardeau, Mo., walks up to Lucas because most of the items displayed and asks for three frosty mugs ofroot beer. The Root Beer Saloon offers three different types of microbrewed SEE ROOT BEER PAGE 2 (Above) Amongst his extensive collections, Michael Blank sits on his old Harley Davidson to display his hand­ made guitars in the Root Beer Saloon. Blank travels to British Columbia to select and cut the maple wood CLOSING TIME. •• for the guitars. (Below) An old hotrod and MG sit outside of the Root Beer Saloon in Alto Pass as customers The Root Beer Saloon ls open year round on Wednesday and Thursday from enjoy the seafood sandwiches and rootbeer inside. The Root Beer Saloon has been open since late last year · 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Fridays through Sunday:s 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The phone number is 893-1453, the fax Is 893-1634 ___, serving up a variety of tasty treats and beverages on tap. ______ .:;;PA::,:G~E~2:::..;,.•~JU~N!!;E"-'2~2~2::.::3~2a:!4J....:2!:!.00!:!.1!..... _______________!:D~A:!!ll.!:.!;y~Ea~Y!!l'Tl:.!.!!:A!!:N:._ ____________________ -,-- __@) DAILY EGYPTIAN ROOT BEER man. Classic Gibson," Blessing establishments like the saloon says. and he says it attracts the fami 0 0.1NTINUED FROM PAGE 1 i, published Monday, Blank laughs, "It's all about lies and brings the teenagers to through Frid.iy, during the wood." the area that may want to attend the fall and •prin~ arc from his travels that span His guitars are all about the SIUC. Fcmo:rcn: :md four time£ aWorking for this instimtion ~ week during the from Jamaica to India. wood but the saloon is about a summtt" Kmtsttr cxccpr Blank takes hls hands out of great many things. It bas a little I am always supportive of any­ during va.cations .and his pockets and his eyes light up. something for everyone. thing that attracts people to exam v.ccks by the He moves toward a beautiful old Whether it is an ice-co!J root SIUC and the region. The Root srudenrs of Southern Illinois Uni\-:-rsity 21 liquor !=abinet tbt he picked up beer on a hot day, a gourmet Beer Saloon helps," Buerger says. Carbondale. from a bar on his travels. It holds lunch or dinner, to buy some Blank and Lucas are excited Editor•in~Chiet': his passion, his guitars. Blank gourmet coffee and gifts, or just about their establishment and ALEX\AGllll.AR has been selling specialty woods to come in and e.,;pericnce the the attention they are receiving, Adi\bna;:ci: to guitar makers for many years. setting. especially since they have only JUUEI..AY The case shows off his first two Blank and Lucas ha\·e a guest been opened since last CLusified: gaitars, one that he built himself book at the entrance and people November. Blank grew up in C-\MMIE NEOJ:l" Business: and the other that Gibson ha\'e \isited the saloon from l\fondelein, near Chicago and RANO\'WHITCOMD Guitar Co. built for him from \\'iesbaden, Germany; India; Lucas is from Sagola, Mich. Ad Production: wood that he supplied. Boise, Idaho; and Vero Beach, They met t\vo years ago and KRlmNAl.111.t=.eaG "When I left the Univcrsitv, I Fla. People of all ages can be Lucas relocated here with Blank Computer Tech.: bought a saw mill and started found at the saloon and Lucas a ago. KIRK SKAAR year Gcm::i.l :-.t~n11,~r: building my guitars. I supplied estimates thev have around a Blank walks out the saloon ROBERT JAROSS all the necks for the "Eddie Van hundred visit;rs on a good day._ and crosses his arms as he scans FacuhyMarugingl:.Eror. Halen Guitar," Blank, says. The executive director of the Alto Pass. He likes the· small L'-'<CESPEr.JU: The bell on the door jingles SIUC alumni association Ed town atmosphere a!1d the peace Di,playArlDit<e1or: SBF.RRJK!WON once again and two young men Buerger VISlts frequently. and tranquility _that comes ,vith Clas,ified Ad i\hnal(CI' walk into the saloon. Everyone Buerger believes that Southern it. He loves to.liuntand fish and }ERRi-llusn stops in the middle of his or her Illinois is an undiscovered that is what; drew· him to, 020G(!).\l1.,· root beer or dinner. Josh Boone, tourist attraction with its heavy Southern Illinois. He is an-: tG1i1'T1AS. ,1\U ri~hh =-.J.Arud"' 17, of Alto Pass and l'vlathew amount of wineries, bed and eccentric man that has his hands photc,gnphs.andp:irhi,-,. Blessing, 17, of Cobden noncha­ breakfasts, and · establishments -11~rraperryofthc:D-'lll" in many things and he is a happy_ E<nl'TIA....:anJm.aynorhc- lantly walk to the back of the like the Root Beer Saloon.

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