My ears perked up as I listened to The Current's Black music history story last weekend. The DJ mentioned a pizza place "near Lake Street and Nicollet Avenue" named Magoo's. Turns out, Southwest Minneapolis was home to a unique club in the 1960s.

Magoo's was the location of Dave Brady and the Stars' first gig, the first "overtly integrated" band in the Twin Cities. All of this was a big deal at the time. Magoo's was one of a selection of venues that would book Dave Brady and the Stars. At the time, there were still white and black performance venues in the Twin Cities and the band's integrated status made it difficult to book at Black venues, specifically.

A Magoo's and The New City Opera House (a next-door venue) flyer from 1967. Image courtesy of Alan Freed in the Old Minneapolis Facebook group.

According to the band, there were only six people around when their gig at Magoo's started. Seemingly impressed with what they heard, those people left to go get their friends. The show ended up being packed. They went on to open up for The Mamas & the Papas at the Minneapolis Auditorium, according to TPT.

You can listen to more about Dave Brady at the Stars and Magoo’s at The Current's website.

And for those interested in the exact location of Magoo's, "Twin Cities Music Highlights" has a map of Minneapolis before Kmart was built, and locates a business called Mr. Lucky's right where the Kmart used to stand. According to Facebook comments here, Mr. Lucky's was located in the Magoo's building.