Eau Claire City Guide

GET OUT AND EXPLORE YOUR NEW CITY and start with this guide. Inside you’ll find info on what to do, where to go, what to know, and where to

eat. It’s your own roadmap to getting off campus and exploring. Enjoy.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY VOLUME ONE

history and facts

GEttinGaround

shoppinGand spendinG

food and drink

arts andmedia

recrEationand outdoors

OPENINGLETTER

ABOUTVOLUME ONE

AWESOMEDAY TRIPS

MIKE PAULUS’REAR END

GREATDEALSALso in this issUe 4 8 37 56 60

tABLe oF ContEnts

FIVE BY HIGH FIVE

FAMOUS RESIDENTS

LOCAL POLITICS

BY THE NUMBERS

WHAT’S HOT NOW

LOCAL BUS ROUTES

BIKE TRAILS MAP

TAXIS AND OTHER TRANSPORT-ATION

NEIGHBORHOODS

DORM DECOR

EAU CLAIRE’S SHOPPING DISTRICTS

LOCAL GIFT GUIDE

CHEAP EATS

DATE NIGHT

COFFEE SHOPS

OPEN LATE

WITH YOUR PARENTS

LOCAL MUSIC

STAGE AND SCREEN

VISUAL ARTS

STAY UP TO DATE

EAU CLAIRE’S PARKS

TUBE

KUBB

CYCLING CULTURE

WINTER FUN

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TO UNDERSTAND EAU CLAIRE, YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHERE IT CAME FROM. We have a rich history built on the natural wonders around us and the people that

have passed through. Here’s a primer on the past, present, and future of the city.

familiAr facEsEAU CLAIRE HAS BEEN HOME TO PLENTY OF HOUSEHOLD

NAMES AND ACCOMPLISHED INDIVIDUALS. Here’s just a sampling.

DEAR ABBY AND ANN LANDERSPauline Phillips – or Abigail Van Buren as most the nation knew her – and her sister Esther Lederer – i.e. Ann Landers – lived in Eau Claire for a good part of their lives. The pair of pioneering advice columnists were born in Iowa, but both moved to Wisconsin in their adulthood. Pauline Phillips married into the family of L.E. Phillips, a great philanthropist who’s name graces many buildings in the city.

The British-born, cultishly followed fantasy author makes his residence in the outskirts of Menomo-nie, Wis. Gaiman is well known for his graphic novel series The Sandman and novels American Gods and Coraline – the latter of which became a popular Tim Burton film.

One of the greatest men to ever play baseball got his start right here in Eau Claire. Henry Aaron’s first professional gig playing baseball was for the Eau Claire Bears in 1952 – then part of the Milwaukee Brave’s farm program. He quickly moved up and after one sea-son was promoted to another minor league team.

Most recently, the founder of Menards was listed on Forbes Magazine’s list of billionaires as the 44th richest person in the United States of America, with an estimated fortune of $7.5 billion dollars. Yeah, with a ‘b’. Menard graduated from UW-Eau Claire before founding his home improvement chain in 1972.

The renowned author has a handful of books and essay col-lections on life in rural Wiscon-sin, his latest of which – Visiting Tom – ended up on the New York Times’ Bestsellers List in 2013. Perry is a UWEC grad in nursing and a regular perform-er around the area, reading from his writings or playing with his band The Longbeds.

NEIL GAIMAN

HANK AARON MICHAEL PERRY JOHN MENARD

thE nUcLEUsSite of the first Bon Iver show, Vernon of-ten played in the back room of Racy’s and The Nucleus in the early days of the band.

thE JoYntVernon has often cited the Joynt as ‘the best bar in the world’ and tells a story of how his parents met there.

UW-EAU cLAirEYou’d think music, but Vernon actually at-tended UWEC for religious studies and women’s studies.

third And LAkEThe line in hit single “Holocene” – “Third and Lake, it burnt away the hallway” is most likely in reference to Vernon’s col-lege house on the corner, which burnt down in 2010.

ApriL BAsEBon Iver records at Vernon’s studio in Fall Creek, April Base, which has also at-tracted musicians from all over the coun-try, including The Blind Boys Of Alabama, Kathleen Edwards, P.O.S, The National, and more.

IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS WITH THIS BON IVER TOURIST MAP!The Grammy-award winning, world-touring, SNL-taunted band Bon Iver originated and is still largely based in Eau Claire. Show your friends around the sites with this trusty map:

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EAU CLAIRE DOES A LOT RIGHT, BUT UP ON TOP MIGHT BE OUR ARTS. Bolstered by the universities, Eau Claire is a hotbed for music, art, theater, and

more. If you’re ever bored, you’re not looking hard enough.

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FOR FANS OF: Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens, long walks through the woods

FOR FANS OF: Weezer, The Get Up Kids, middle school nostalgia

WHERE TO START: “Milky Joe” from Battle Of The Network Stars (2013)

THE FRENETTESthefrenettes.bandcamp.com

The Frenettes are the perfect band to sing along to, with their early-oughts inspired pop-rock songs that are contagiously danceable and fun.

S. CAREYSCareyMusic.com

For awhile Sean Carey (a UWEC grad) was known only as the drummer for Bon Iver, but he soon came out with his own releases under the moniker S. Carey. The gorgeously composed indie folk perfectly encapsulates Eau Claire, drawing on the natural beauty that surrounds us. While S. Carey has found success outside of our borders, the group (featuring a few Eau Clairians) still performs around Eau Claire on occassion, filling the place whenever they do. If you see this on the calendars, don’t miss it.

THE HEART PILLStheheartpills.bandcamp.com

This jangly, western-rock group puts on one of the best shows in Eau Claire with high energy songs full of quirk, humor, and plenty of rock ’n roll.

FOR FANS OF: Modest Mouse, The B-52s, swing dancing while headbanging

WHERE TO START: “Concrete” from Gunfighter (2014)

FOR FANS OF: St. Vincent, Sufjan Stevens, crying onto your vintage record player

WHERE TO START: “Let The Right One In” from Ordinary Fantasy (2014)

ADELYN ROSEadelynrose.bandcamp.com

The indie darlings of Eau Claire have found some national suc-cess with their intricate yet re-laxed indie rock that finds inspi-ration in folk, jazz and ambient.

FOR FANS OF: Drive-In, Refused, moshing with a Sharpie-d ‘X’ on your hand

WHERE TO START: “Always Be Punching Rac-ists” from Send Em To The Cemetery (2014)

PUNCHERpuncher.bandcamp.com

The hardcore sounds of PUNCHER hit the scene with aggressive, socially conscious songs with scathing riffs and punchy (appropriately) vocals.

FOR FANS OF: Kid Ink, early Drake, blasting music while driving

WHERE TO START: “Richer & Richer” from Supernova XII (2013)

STARBOUNDfacebook.com/thisisstarbound

Starbound hit the scene in 2013 and started work to elevate lo-cal hip hop with big name shows and a new brand of Midwest rap. He doesn’t play locally too often, but catch him if you can.

Eau Claire does pretty well on the music front. Beyond the world-wide acclaim of some of our indie bands and jazz musicians, this city has a little something for everyone. Here’s just a sampling:Who to listen for

LoCaL mUsiC

THE VOLUME ONE GALLERY205 N. Dewey St.

VolumeOne.org/Store

What you’ll see: Local bands, stripped down, musician interviews,

book readings

ALL AGES • FREE

VEnuEs

WHERE TO START: “In The Dirt” from All We Grow (2011)

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stAGe + sCrEen

One benefit of staying in Eau Claire over your summers is enjoying the balmy evenings. A perfect way to do that is to check out a flick outdoors at the Gemini Drive-In. The old-fashioned outdoor theater has some food stands, or bring your own picnic for a perfect summer night.

The Eau Claire Downtown Cinema brings movies a little later than everyone else in town, but at a greatly reduced price which gives you a little more flexibility. With all the restaurants downtown (see the Food And Drink section) this could make a perfect and cheap date night.

EAU CLAIRE HAS A VAST THEATER SCENE, supported by both the university and local community theater groups. The two major community groups in town are the Chippewa Valley Theatre Guild and the Eau Claire Children’s Theatre. Both produce shows of all sizes for audiences of all ages. Interested in participating? Throw ‘em a name and keep an eye out for local auditions.

CHIPPEWA VALLEY THEATRE GUILD

Main theater: Grand Theatre 102 W. Grand St., Eau Claire www.cvtg.org

carmike oakWood malL 124800 Golf Road #4 (715) 874-7200 (movie hotline)(715) 835-1030 (box office)

miCon CinEmas EaU claire3109 Mall Dr. (715) 874-7000 (movie hotline)(715) 834-1245 (box office

WoodLand theAtreUW-Eau Claire Davies Center (715) 836-3727

downtoWn cinEma315 S. Barstow St. (715) 874-7000 (movie hotline) (715) 832-3355 (box office)

Gemini drive-inHighway 12 & I-94 (715) 874-7000 =(715) 874-5101 (box office)

EAU CLAIRE CHILDREN’S THEATRE

Main theater: The Oxford Theater 1814 N. Oxford Ave., Eau Claire www.ecct.org

cAtch A Flick

UW-Eau Claire hosts an outdoor free movie series all summer long on the lawn by Haas Fine Arts, featuring new and old films.

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BIKE TRAILS26

WELCOME TO THENEIGHBORHOOD

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MAYBE YOU’RE LUCKY WITH YOUR CAR, MAYBE YOU’RE NOT. Either way, traversing Eau Claire is pretty easy, and pretty pretty. There’s

plenty to walk and bike to, and even more to explore outside that radius.

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Find yours through the City Of Eau Claire’s website or on Facebook.

rAndalL pArkYou will probably refer to this as the “stu-dent ghetto” and you’re wrong. The His-toric Randall Park Neighborhood is home to thousands of students, but also some of the oldest homes in Eau Claire and plenty of families. Named after the park that sits in the center (with the statue of ol’ Aiden Randall himself), this is a nice neighbor-hood to call home after the res halls.

third WArdThe Third Ward – creatively named after it’s voting district – hosts a perfect mix of family homes, students, and young profes-sionals in gorgeously eclectic houses. The neighborhood is know to many students as just a parking lot, but take a walk through and you’ll see a couple gorgeous parks, community gardens, and more.

pUtnam hEiGhtsJust off upper campus you’ll find Shopko and Wendy’s, but tucked behind that is Putnam Heights, a large residential area that connects the downtown with Eau Claire’s south side. The neighborhood is dotted with ballparks and other sports facilities shared by the university and city.

downtoWnBeyond the shops, restaurants, and bars that line Barstow Street is a number or res-idences. A generally young area of town, Downtown Eau Claire has been bustling with new construction and renovations.

East side hilLJust up the hill from downtown, a young family neighborhood mixed with some students and young professionals offers a quiet reprieve, but still a close walk to the action. Boyd Park is one of the city’s most active, with local events all seasons and a basketball court that is always crawling with pickup games.

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Most neighborhoods have active Neighbor-hood Associations that maintain websites, host events, and are there to help.

EVEN IF YOU LIVE ON CAMPUS, you’ll probably (read: you should) make your way out to the neighborhoods that surround UW-Eau Claire. Here’s a quick rundown:

Clairemont Ave

Water St

5th Ave

Lake St

Main St

Galloway St

Farwell St

Harding Ave

State St

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THE CHIPPEWA VALLEY IS A GORGEOUS PLACE, SO GET OUTSIDE. All four seasons offer plenty to do outdoors, from sports to hiking to just laying

around. Enjoy the beauty of the natural world around Eau Claire.

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EaU claire pArksIF YOU’RE A LAY-IN-THE-GRASS STUDIER OR A THROW-THE-FRIS-BEE-AROUND KINDA GAL, Eau Claire’s parks should have what you’re looking for. A bunch of parks in right around campuses offer a variety of amenities and spaces that show off Eau Claire’s natural beauty.

For more information on city parks, check out the City Of Eau Claire’s website, eauclairewi.gov.

Clairemont Ave

Water St

5th Ave

Lake St

Main St

Galloway St

Birch St

Farwell St

Harding Ave

State St

Forest St

N. E

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St

7th St

3rd St

DellsPond

halfmoonlake

uw-eau claire

chippewa river

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owen pArkThe strip of land along First Avenue has ten-nis courts, a bandshell with live music, and a play ground. Among the trees you’ll find plenty of space for yoga, frisbee, and even a healthy scene of live action role play (LARP-ing). The Chippewa Valley State Trail cuts right through as well.

randAlL parkNamed after city forefather Aidan Randall, Randall Park (which is also the namesake of the neighborhood it sits in) occupies a square block between Third and Fourth Streets. It’s a small, quiet space with lots of shade, perfect for reading or studying.

phoEnix pArkThe relatively new park in downtown Eau Claire sits at the confluence of the Eau Claire and Chippewa Rivers and is home to the weekly Downtown Farmers Market. The park offers gorgeous views of the rivers, a labyrinth with occasional live music and the best place to kick off a tubing expedition.

carson parkThe large forest in the middle of the city is best known by students as where the Blu-golds play football, but it has much more than that. Half Moon Lake is a quiet place for boating and fishing, and there are mul-tiple trail systems that let you get out of civi-lization for a bit. It’s also home to a gorgeous baseball stadium, home to the Eau Claire Express and other amateur teams.

mt. simon parkAnother park that feels like it’s much further out of the city, the hike up Mt. Simon gives the premiere view of the city. Mt. Simon is also host to one of Eau Claire’s disc golf courses and probably some of the best cliff jumping in the region.

putnAm traiLThe trail kicks off right behind the Davies Center parking lot and continues roughly a mile into the heart of the Third Ward Neigh-borhood. The wooded area is perfect for the secluded romantic walk and ends right next to Demmler Park.

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SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO GET AWAY FROM THE DINING HALL. If that’s the case, get out into Eau Claire and explore the 300+ restaurants in the Chippewa Valley. There’s something for everyone, just don’t get too full.

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THE CROWN JEWEL OF IMPRESSING YOUR LADY OR DUDE FRIEND IS MONA LISA’S. The interior is mood lit with deep reds and art lining the walls, but almost more impressive is the outdoor patio – a perfect place for drinks and appetizers for a casual, summer date. Pasta and seafood options tend to land in the $12-$20 range, but are well worth the price both in taste and presentation. If you’re of age, Mona’s has a huge wine selec-tion and a well trained staff to help you find the perfect bottle to share. Looking for a cheaper option? Try splitting a pizza. It’s more romantic that way (and a bit cheaper).

THE BEST UPSCALE, DATE-NIGHT RESTAURANTS ACCORDING TO YOU from the 2013 Volume One best of The Chippewa Valley readers’ poll

MONA LISA’S RESTAURANTItalian / Seafood

428 Water St., Eau Claire

8 Minute walk from UW-Eau Claire

(715) 839-8969

A rotating menu that suits the season is one of their best features. No matter the time of year I can always find one of my favorites ...Island Shrimp and Pesto Crusted Walleye come to mind.

Great bartenders and wine/beer selection. The wait staff is knowledgeable and friendly. A great place for date night, going out with a group of friends or stopping in for a cocktail. And the best tiramisu in town.

–smithjul

HOULIGANS STEAK & SEAFOOD PUBSteak / Seafood

415 S. Barstow St., Eau Claire

17 minute walk from UW-Eau Claire

715-835-6621

Alright, Duncan Creek isn’t in Eau Claire. It’s up in Chip-pewa Falls, but let us tell you how this plays out. You’re going to surprise your SO with a nice dinner and they’re going to think they have you pegged. All the way until you jump on 53 North and bring them to this elegant, classy bistro where the unique dishes will blow you away. Now, that’s how a real, adult date is done.

DOWNTOWN’S PREMIERE STEAK JOINT has a classic Wisconsin supper club vibe, with a dark, moody atmo-sphere. If there’s any risk of a first date at Houligans, it’s probably that you’d disgust your date by stuffing your gills with too much delicious, delicious meat. The steak and burger selection is to die for, but the downtown classic also offers seafood, pasta, other entrees and a full drink menu. The best part? It’s right downtown, so an easy walk from campus and student housing. You’ll have two bridges to go in for that first kiss on. Don’t chicken out (or maybe eat too much of the garlic steak…)

213 N. Bridge St., Chippewa Falls

20 min. drive from UW-Eau Claire

715-723-7000

DUNCAN CREEK WINE BAR & GRILLSteak / SeafooddAte niGht

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4 SEASONS FLORIST, INC. 117 W. Grand Ave., Eau Claire (715) 834-2017

AVALON EUROPEAN FLORAL 504 Water St., Eau Claire (715) 838-8880 • flowersbyavalon.com

BRENT DOUGLAS: FLOWERS FOR EVERYDAY 610 S. Barstow St., Eau Claire (715) 831-0997 • [email protected]

CHIPPEWA VALLEY FLORAL 2734 Mall Dr., Eau Claire (715) 839-ROSE • chippewavalleyfloral.com

EAU CLAIRE FLORAL 1824 Brackett Ave., Eau Claire (715) 834-2901 • eauclairefloral.com

EEVY-IVY-OVER FLOWER SHOP 314 North Bridge St., Eau Claire (715) 726-0812 • eevyivyoverfloral.com

FESTIVAL FOODS 3007 Mall Dr., Eau Claire (715) 838-1000 • festfoods.com

GORDY’S COUNTY MARKET 3310 E. Hamilton Ave., Eau Claire (715) 834-3993 • gordyscountymarket.net 2717 Birch St., Eau Claire (715) 836-8246 • gordyscountymarket.net 1031 W. Clairemont Ave., Eau Claire (715) 839-0220 • gordyscountymarket.net

MAY’S FLORAL GARDEN 3424 Jeffers Rd., Eau Claire (715) 836-8220 • maysfloral.net

MEGA FOODS 1201 S. Hastings Way, Eau Claire (715) 839-5200 • megafoods.com 2615 N. Clairemont Ave., Eau Claire (715) 836-6342 • megafoods.com

WILLOW RIDGE FLORAL 1925 N. 60th Ave., Eau Claire (715) 379-3925 • willowridgefloral.com

YOU WANT TO MAKE A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION ON THIS ROMANTIC NIGHT? Bring a little something extra from

one of these Eau Claire flower shops.

FloWershops

chEap Eats

A lot of restaurants and busi-ness in Eau Claire offer student discounts with your Blugold ID. Doesn’t hurt to ask!

FAst food Conversions

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IF YOU LIKE QDOBA...Our own local burritos-as-big-as-your-head stop is Burrachos, which offers all the Baja fare you need right on Water Street (and up by Target and Walmart). Best part? Their open ’til bar close on the weekends. Trust me, those burritos will save your life. If you’re just looking to grab a burrito and run, Burrito Express at El Patio serves up quick, cheap wraps pumped full of flavor.

IF YOU LIKE LITTLE CAESARS...There’s plenty of great pizza in this town, but if

you’re looking for something fast and cheap look no

further than Buzzy’s. Known for their mac & cheese

pizza, you really can’t go wrong with anything. Espe-

cially when they sell by the slice in the evenings. You

can also snag by the slice pizza at New York Pizza & Deli, though you should also give their lemon pep-

per fries a go.

IF YOU LIKE FIVE GUYS...Court ’n’ House is the quintessential Wisconsin bar and burger place, just about a mile walk from cam-pus. They’ve got limited toppings, but you don’t need much on their beautifully greasy patties. Mogies Pub also offers great burgers, as well as appetizers (or af-ter school snacks) that’ll blow your mind.

IF YOU LIKE SUBWAY...Try Acoustic Café, with their massively stacked hoagies and lighter options like pita sandwiches. Acoustic also has a full functioning coffee bar, plenty of fresh baked goods, and live music multiple times a week. You can also check out Smiling Moose Deli, which let’s you walk down the line and choose from their plethora of toppings – or grab one of the biggest salads you’ve ever seen.

Smiling Moose is a great place for lunch. I shared a

large sandwhich and had a side salad. I like that you can sit outside and see Phoenix Park.

THE BEST BURGERS! This is my first choice for a burger joint. The vegetarian

burger and the pepper jack burger are favs. Keep on keepin’ on, Court ‘n House!

–rebekah

OH, YOU LOVE YOUR HOMETOWN FAST FOOD? We’ve got that here too, but you could also try these local joints with the same scrumptious results.

SMILING MOOSE DELI:

COURT ‘N’ HOUSE:

sAve some moneY:

BURRACHOS

MOGIES PUB

–johnnyboy

When I was in college this was a great place to have a slice of pizza after going

out. Mac and cheese was awesome. :) Also, the owner of Buzzy’s was always super nice and funny!

–summerday008

COURT ‘N’ HOUSE:

MAIN STREET CAFE

You might think you’ve had pie. You might be convinced you’ve had pie. But you’ve never had pie as good as Main Street Cafe. The small shop in the small-er town of Bloomer has gotten regional recognition for its delectable sweets in all varieties. Call ahead to see what they have in the case and save plenty of room for dessert after your dessert.

LEINIE LODGE

YOU DON’T NEED TO BE 21+ TO ENJOY THE LEINIE LODGE. The Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Compa-ny’s headquarters, brewery and mu-seum is an awesome tour where you learn a lot about the Chippewa Valley and the US, and, well, beer. The tour is free and if you’re of age tasting is a couple dollars. www.leinie.com

Honestly some of the best pie I have ever had. Great

meal also, but I can’t stop thinking about that apple pie!

–smithjul

DAY TRIPS

1418 Main St. Bloomer

29m drive from UW-Eau Claire

124 E. Elm St., Chippewa Falls


IF YOU’RE A LAY-IN-THE-GRASS STUDIER OR A THROW-THE-FRIS-BEE-AROUND KINDA GAL, Eau Claire’s parks should have what you’re looking for. A bunch of parks in right around campuses offer a variety.

RED CEDAR SPEEDWAY

From April to September you can catch the roar of the engines and the hint of exhaust over in Menomonie at the regions premier race track. The dirt track racing has spawned professional careers and presents competitive races every Friday. So throw on something you don’t mind getting a little dirty and get out to the track.www.redcedarspeedway.com

A TO Z PIZZA FARM

There’s nothing quite like fresh food. A To Z’s pizza night on Tuesdays from Spring to Fall gives you the freshest. The farm grows everything you need for a pizza and make it right there in front of you. While you wait you can wander around the farm and see exactly where your pizza is coming from or enjoy a nice lawn game on the open stretches of grass with no city in sight. www.atozproduceandbakery.com

N2956 Anker LaneStockholm

1 hr 13m drive from UW-Eau Claire

620 17th St. Menomonie


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Eau Claire City Guide