Elizabeth Pulanco/ Winonan
After rebuilding and refurnishing the café from the fire last year, the Blooming Grounds’ downtown location is also rebuilding and adding to their audience.
Blooming Grounds manager Patrice Swenson said she hopes to bring in a unique audience with different types of entertainment to appeal to a wide range of people.
“I look for people or groups that can engage the audience not only with their work but with their personalities,” Swenson said.
On Friday Oct. 3, Blooming Grounds hosted musician Amanda Grace.
“She writes from the heart and has a positive, passionate energy,” Swenson said.
Grace performed original songs and some covers of famous hits as a part of Blooming Grounds’ Finally Friday event.
Joining her onstage was her husband of 12 years, who supplied percussion for several of the songs. Grace is a Winona State University graduate who has used personal tragedies as a way to fuel her passion for writing music.
When not playing solo, she plays in a folk band called Wildflowers. She has used her experiences as a mother to write children’s music since 2009. The group of families in the audience at Blooming Grounds showed how her journey into the genre has been successful.
During a break between performances, Grace walked around the restaurant and started conversations with the audience.
Kristin Biesanz, an audience member who was having a night out with friends, said, “I’ve seen Amanda play for children before. I have also been to Blooming Grounds before, and it is great for gatherings.”
Along with the group of fans that came to listen to Grace perform, there were also some people who had never been to Blooming Grounds before.
Connie Meyer, a new customer to the café, said, “I like the atmosphere and that there are different kinds of food. It is a cool place to have in Winona.”
The atmosphere of Blooming Grounds customers have enjoyed is something Swenson wants to continue to develop. She said a diverse audience could help enhance the development and achieve this goal.
“I want the environment to be ageless. I am not looking for a specific age group, just a certain energy,” Swenson said. “I want to reflect the world as a melting pot and the new set up of the café has helped.”
One of the main ways Swenson has been able to achieve this goal of a diverse group of customers is with the choices of entertainment, she said.
Besides musicians performing during the weekend, Blooming Grounds is also having different kinds of entertainment on Wednesdays.
On Oct. 8, 15 and 22, Blooming Grounds will have jazz musician Kelly Blau, a Winona State Slam Poetry Group and musician Stacey Hughes from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
