OUR HISTORY
Over a Century on The Hill
Built from the Fair
When the 1904 World's Fair — the Louisiana Purchase Exposition — concluded, its lumber didn't go to waste. The wood that had welcomed the world to St. Louis found a second life on Pattison Avenue, becoming the bones of what would eventually become Pop's Blue Moon. The neat, worn bricks of the outer walls and the dark, smooth wood inside still carry that history.
The wood that welcomed the world to St. Louis found a second life on Pattison Avenue.
An Italian Neighborhood
The Hill — St. Louis's Italian neighborhood — was established in the 1880s by immigrants who came to work the clay mines. When Interstate 44 cut through in the 1960s, it amputated a two-block area from the rest. As part of the agreement, the neighborhood got two bridges — one for cars, one for pedestrians. Pop's sits on this quieter, cut-off side, which only adds to its character.
Three Generations
Three generations of the Gianella family — Frank, Paul, and Frank — operated the tavern through Prohibition, two World Wars, and decades of neighborhood change. Originally called Papa Prost's Tavern, it later became Pop's on the Hill. A handmade wooden American flag bearing the names of Hill residents who served in World War II still hangs on the wall — the neighborhood produced more WWII veterans than any other area of the city.
The Hill produced more WWII veterans than any other neighborhood in St. Louis.
The Grigaitis Era
Terry Grigaitis and his 21-year-old son Josh bought the bar for $100,000 in 1999 and renamed it Pop's Blue Moon. They kept a lot of the old bar the same — the first half of the name, most of the decor, and many of its original neighborhood customers. Josh moved into the house upstairs and started tending bar, opening around 2 PM most days.
Monday Night Jam Sessions
The music started when Josh recruited friends to come in on Monday nights to boost business. After moving to Tuesdays, the night quickly became the busiest of the week. Bands came in for jam sessions and the place packed. Gigs eventually got booked six nights a week: bluegrass one night, rock the next, hip-hop, jazz duos, Americana. The room holds about 120 people, and on the best nights, every one of them is shoulder to shoulder.
Bluegrass one night, rock the next, hip-hop, jazz duos, Americana.
The Things on the Walls
Pop's is full of oddities that have accumulated over the decades. Intimidating portraits of prominent local Italian men in suits line the walls. A broken vinyl record jukebox sits at the bar's end. Near the bathrooms, a seasonal shrine displays religious and holiday items — part devotion, part folk art. And beside the men's room door stands a deactivated bomb, a conversation piece that's been there longer than anyone can remember.
NA Saturdays
In 2018, after a personal sobriety experiment, Josh launched NA Saturdays — alcohol-free bar nights with live music and the full bar experience, minus the booze. Partnering with WellBeing Brewing Co. and the mindful drinking movement, Pop's became one of the first bars in St. Louis to offer a dedicated non-alcoholic night.
Everything you love about a bar — without the alcohol.