A Campustown institution will be closing its doors – at least in Ames – May 31.

People’s Bar and Grill, 2430 Lincoln Way, is vacating its current location after its landlords chose not to renew the venue’s lease.

Lynn Champlin Lloyd, co-owners of the building People’s currently occupies and co-owner of Ridiculous Rags, 2414 Lincoln Way, said People’s could have been forced out up to three months earlier, but she didn’t want to hurt the business. Lloyd intends to open a new bar and grill in the location.

People’s owner Tom Zmolek isn’t happy with the decision, but he understands it.

“Relations with the landlord haven’t exactly been a tea party, but it was completely within their rights to take back the property, as my lease had expired,” Zmolek said. “It’s their space and they want to use it – end of story.”

In honor of its history, People’s is hosting a musical “Final Hurrah,” bringing in the best bands that played the venue over the years. The last show will be played by The Nadas on Sunday.

Zmolek said People’s, as a business, isn’t leaving. He hopes to reopen in a new Campustown location for next fall.

People’s closes its doors at midnight on May 31.

People’s Court

Zmolek’s company, People’s Productions, has been working on opening a Des Moines location, People’s Court, for nearly two years. The new location will have a 900-person capacity, more than 100 beers, and a state-of-the-art sound and lighting system. Helping to maintain the “People’s flavor,” some of the same staff members that worked in the Ames location will work in the new location.

People’s Court opens to the general public on May 31 – the same day the Ames location closes – but will host several of the shows in the Final Hurrah.

Zmolek said he expects the new location to do well and that it should attract ISU students home in Des Moines for the summer.

The future

Zmolek hopes to reopen People’s in a new Campustown location, and has been negotiating for several locations. He said moving to one location, which he did not specify, would actually be a blessing in disguise.

He does not expect moving to affect the status of the venue.

“I cannot say that I won’t miss the old digs – lots of amazing things happened at that corner over the years,” he said.

Some of People’s staff have been relocated to the new Des Moines location for the summer, and all current staff members have been promised jobs at the new location.

Zmolek hopes to have a new location open by next fall, and intends to keep it as much like the old People’s as possible.

“People’s is People’s – it’s an institution,” Zmolek said. “You don’t change an institution. You can make it better – and that’s what we plan to do – but you don’t change an institution.”

Zmolek’s letter

Shortly before Veishea in 2007, Zmolek wrote a letter detailing People’s’ situation as well as sharing some of his thoughts and feelings. The letter touched on several important moments in the venue’s history and some of Zmolek’s most vivid memories of running it.

The letter was printed on the back page of the Daily on April 20, and has also been run on Facebook as the core of a group called “SAVE PEOPLE”S” [sic], which has more than 1,400 members.

The Final Hurrah

Capping a “celebration of music” throughout the month of May is the Final Hurrah, with some of the most popular bands ever to play People’s returning one final time. According to www.peoplesbarandgrill.com, the People’s staff went to great lengths to get the important bands to show up. Former fixture The Geardaddies are reforming for their Saturday show after breaking up in the mid-’90s.

The bands are split into “old school” (1988-2000) and “new school” (2000-2007) eras, based on when they most often played at People’s. Some of the shows will be held at People’s Court in Des Moines. This division was made because of the huge turnout expected for these final shows – Zmolek said the “old school” passes have nearly sold out.

Tickets to the shows are available at www.peoplesbarandgrill.com and are sold through www.iowatix.com. Zmolek described these as “commemorative passes,” saying those who purchase them will receive “lots of perks and memorabilia along with their tickets.”

Tickets to the shows will also be available for $10 at the door, subject to availability.

People’s fast facts

• People’s was named one of the top 100 college bars in America by Playboy and hosted several Playboy parties.
• After playing at Hilton Coliseum, many musicians would spend the rest of the evening at People’s, including Blues Traveler, Eddie Vedder, Weezer, Tone Loc, Huey Lewis and The News, and Hootie and the Blowfish.
• People’s was the first place outside of Omaha that 311 played. Before they hit it big, 311 would play People’s about ever six weeks.
• The video for Dead Eye Dick’s mid-’90’s hit “New Age Girl” was filmed at People’s.

People’s Fixtures

People’s has hosted over 5,000 gigs during its lifetime, but a few bands become regulars. These include:

• The Nadas
• Kountertop
• Kentucky Fried Mullet
• Hello Dave
• The Swing Crew
• Dazy Head Mazy
• Tim Mahoney
• The Confidentials
• Kiss the Fish
• Saved By Zero
• Pomeroy
• Paul Wright
• Brian Congdon
• Larry Myer
• Paul Rebek

People’s through the years

• Aug. 25, 1988: Underwhere? (now Lumpy’s) opens, the first element of the People’s legacy.
• Aug. 25, 1990: People’s opens. Local reggae band The Sundogs play the first show.
• Sept. 15, 1995: The Nadas play their first show, eventually playing People’s more than 100 times.
• February 2007: Zmolek says “it was hinted” that his lease on the location would not be renewed.
• Early April 2007: Zmolek is formally informed that his lease will not be renewed.
• May 27, 2007: The final shows at People’s Ames: Boner and The Nadas.
• May 31, 2007: People’s formally closes. People’s Court formally opens in Des Moines at 216 Court Ave.

‘Final Hurrah’ Schedule

• Thursday (Ames):

  9 p.m. to 2 a.m.: The final Trailer Trash Night, featuring Kountertop and Kentucky Fried Mullet

• Friday (Ames: “new school”):

  3 to 7 p.m.: Brian Congdon and Brad Seidenfeld

  8 p.m. to 2 a.m.: Hello Dave

• Friday (Des Moines: “old school”):

  3 to 7 p.m.: Larry Myer and special guest

  8 p.m. to 2 a.m.: Paul Wright and friends

• Saturday (Ames: “old school”):

  3 to 7 p.m.: Paul Wright

  8 p.m. to 2 a.m.: The Geardaddies

• Saturday (Des Moines: “new school”):

  3 to 7 p.m.: Damon Dotson

  8 p.m. to 2 a.m.: Kentucky Fried Mullet and guest

• Sunday (Ames):

  3 to 7 p.m.: Boner

  8 p.m to 2 a.m.: The Nadas and friends

Related article: Students protest closing of Campustown’s Peoples