A 50th anniversary is the stuff of stretch limos — and that’s precisely how Joe Edwards arrived at the bash Thursday night to celebrate his half century of all the beer, darts and rock ’n’ roll he’s served up at Blueberry Hill.
“I’m having a great time,” Edwards said after pulling up in a long white Cadillac to greet a couple of hundred or so revelers on hand to mark the special date for the Delmar Loop watering hole in University City.
One special guest was Blues goalie Jordan Binnington, who presented Edwards with a No. 50 hockey jersey (Binnington’s number).
Another was pioneering pilsner producer Tom Schlafly, who came with his wife, Ulrike Schlafly, to thank Edwards for his efforts.
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“Joe was the first bar owner to sell our beer,” said Schlafly, a lawyer who is an active board member for the St. Louis Public Library and St. Louis Art Museum.
“After we got started (in 1991), we approached three places: Blueberry Hill, Cardwell’s in Clayton and the Trainwreck Saloon in Rock Hill,” he said. “They all said ‘yes,’ but Joe was the first.”
Schlafly also noted that his tie, bedecked with peace signs, “might even be older than Blueberry Hill.”
A handful of STL celebs also sent video tributes to mark the occasion, including Jon Hamm, John Goodman, Bob Costas and Andy Cohen.
And the road goes on, as this weekend is the 50th annual Blueberry Hill Open Dart Tournament. Competition began Friday night and it runs through Sunday.
Photos: Blueberry Hill celebrates 50th anniversary with a bash