People’s Bar and Grill owner Tom Zmolek received a flattering phone call last month.

“I don’t know what you’re doing down there, but you must be doing something right,” the caller said. “I’ve heard more about your bar than any others and I’ve never even been to Iowa.”

On the line was an executive from Playboy magazine. He was calling to inform Zmolek that his bar was named one of America’s Top 100 College Bars in the October (Big 10) issue of Playboy.

“I thought it was pretty cool,” Zmolek said. “I didn’t know they were doing it.”

The survey was actually conducted by Beyond The Wall, a campus marketing firm that sells advertising posters to college students.

Beyond The Wall randomly surveyed students from 150 campuses across the country while thousands more participated in an online voting campaign (www.beyondthewall.com).

“There really wasn’t any other live music clubs on the list as far as I could tell,” Zmolek said. “Most of them were the meat-market type of places and pubs, which more often than not, are the popular bars. It’s kind of cool that Ames is beyond that.”

In the article which coincides with the list of bars, the reporter describes the three most important elements of a college bar: atmosphere, friendly service and low prices.

Although entertainment was not among the most important elements, Zmolek said that is what he thinks attracts students to People’s.

“We have a large variety of music that is oriented to kids,” Zmolek said. “We try and get the fun bands — that may not always be the most serious bands. I think a lot of students know of People’s before they even get to Iowa State because of the bands that have played here.”

Since People’s opened in 1990, the bar has hosted 311 (five times), The Wallflowers, Big Head Todd and The Monsters, The Freedy Jones Bands, Filter, Buddy Guy, Bo Diddley and hundreds of others.

One of the most memorable nights in the history of People’s, Zmolek said, was when Darius Rucker from Hootie and the Blowfish made a surprise on-stage appearance with Edwin McCain.

Another highlight for Zmolek was seeing his favorite band, Widespread Panic, play at his bar. “It’s also pretty cool when bands recognize us after the fact,” Zmolek added.

Both Widespread Panic and Big Head Todd and the Monsters plugged People’s during their shows at Stephens.

Aside from hosting local and national bands, Zmolek said People’s is known for its atmosphere.

“We concentrate on having fun,” Zmolek said. “People’s is staffed completely by college students and when they’re having fun, the customers are having fun.”

People’s decor is focused around the building’s original 1908 design. Zmolek said he has tried to restore the look by opening up the tin ceilings and brick walls.

Before the building, located on the corner of Welch and Lincoln Way, was People’s Bar and Grill it was People’s Drug Store. Zmolek, then a student at ISU, bought the bar in the basement of the building in 1988 and gave it the name Underwhere?.

The drug store closed in 1990 and the landlord of the building asked Zmolek if he and his partner would be interested in the space. Zmolek jumped at the opportunity and opened the bar in less than a month.

“We didn’t have the time to agree on a name and we knew the building was already known as People’s,” Zmolek said. “It’s a fun name. Our bar is for all people.”

On August 25, 1990, People’s Bar and Grill officially opened, with the Sundogs as the first band to ever play at the club. “They were the local ska legends at the time,” Zmolek said.

More than seven years later, Zmolek has since changed Underwhere? to Lumpy’s and has opened The Keg Shop. He plans to open People’s Theater and a vegetarian restaurant later this year.

“At times, the bar is my least favorite,” Zmolek said. “It’s so much work, constantly booking acts. But People’s is my baby — it’s how I got where I am today.”

People’s will be celebrating its recent honor with a black-tie dinner sometime in October. Executives and possibly models from Playboy will be on hand to present the bar with a plaque.

“We’ll probably have an invitation-only dinner and then open up the bar and have a band play,” he said. “There’s been some talk about Playboy sending the models from Iowa City down, but they don’t know for sure who they will send.

“If it’s just one guy and he says ‘here you go,’ we’re still going to a big party anyway.”