Contact:
Joe OBrien
Joe@midwestmusicmuseum.com

Dan Jasper
dan.jasper@moa.net

Iconic Music Venue to Reopen With Restaurant and Exhibit Space

at Mall of America®

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (Feb. 4, 2014) Following a short hiatus, iconic West Bank music club, the 400 Bar, is set to open a multiple use music complex at Mall of America^®. The new venue to be located on the Malls fourth floor will include a concert hall, a music-oriented exhibit space, and a restaurant space. Expected to open in June 2014 the total music experience will occupy approximately 25,000 square feet.

The new Mall of America location will continue the tradition that the original 400 Bar forged over many years as one of Minnesotas best rock clubs. The concert hall is flexible in size and can accommodate audiences up to one thousand. A wide variety of music acts will perform in the space similar to the very best concerts of the original location, including rock, blues and country. They will range from intimate seated performances to standing-room only events.

Alongside the new music venue that will pay homage to the original club, plans include a pub and restaurant echoing the unique Minnesota music scene by offering specialty food and drinks. The restaurant is expected to open in September 2014 and will be approximately 9,000 square feet.

Our goal is to provide a unique music experience to everyone that visits, said Joe OBrien, business partner. Tourists and locals alike will have the opportunity of experiencing educational programs and live entertainment in a fun, family friendly environment.

Midwest Music Museum

Unique to the 400 Bar concept is a music-themed exhibit space called the Midwest Music Museum. Partnering with renowned arts and music organizations, the educational facility will house traveling and permanent exhibits devoted to the history of popular music and its impact on society. It will be open during mall hours and appeal to audiences of all ages, allowing specific groups including schools, youth groups and civic organizations to tour the space at a time convenient to them. Museum operators will work closely with a wide variety of groups to offer an experience unlike any other in the Twin Cities.

From Soul Asylum and The Replacements to Bob Dylan and Prince, Minnesota has a storied history of offering some of the worlds finest music, said Maureen Bausch, executive vice president of business development for Mall of America. The same holds true for Minnesota music venues and one of the most loved was the 400 Bar located near the University of Minnesota. Many great musicians played the 400 and we are excited to have that same high caliber of music coming to Mall of America.

Located at Mall of America the 400 Bar and the Midwest Music Museum offers convenient access and free parking, including parking for school and tour buses, as well as direct access to public transportation including light rail, bus and taxi service.

About Midwest Music Museum

The Midwest Music Museum is a newly created venue offering music education to people of all ages and music backgrounds. The core mission of the Midwest Music Museum is to educate, enlighten and experience the world we live in together through music. For more information visit www.midwestmusicmuseum.com.

About 400 Bar

An internationally recognized promoter of emerging and established artists, the 400 Bar was originally located in Minneapolis, Minn. And known for introducing Minnesota music audiences to artists such as: Neutral Milk Hotel, Elliott Smith, Joanna Newsom, Spoon, The White Stripes, The Drive-By Truckers, The Arcade Fire, Dr. Dog, The National and The Queens of the Stone Age. And presenting legends like The Pretty Things, Rolling Stones Guitarist Mick Taylor and Leon Russell. Fiercely independent purveyors and facilitators of original music for decades, the original location enjoyed worldwide recognition and welcomed the first and sometimes only local club performances of international icons such as Englands Mumford & Sons, Dido, The Frames from Ireland, Welsh groups The Super Furry Animals, The Stereophonics and Gorkys Zygotic Mynci, Czech bands Uz Jsme Doma and The Plastic People of the Universe, Australias Go-Betweens, and Scottish Rockers Idlewild, Arab Strap, and The Delgados. For more information visit www.facebook.com/400bar.

About Mall of America®

Mall of America is the nations largest retail and entertainment complex. At 4.2 million square feet, MOA is home to more than 520 world-class shops; Nickelodeon Universe®, the nations largest indoor family amusement park; SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium, a 1.2 million gallon walk-through aquarium; Moose Mountain Adventure Golf; Theatres at Mall of America® - a 14-screen movie theater with VIP theatre and more. The Mall opened in August of 1992 and is located in Bloomington, Minn., just minutes from downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul. Follow Mall of America on Facebook and Twitter or visit our blog.

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