Danny Stevens of Danny's Reasons
Danny Stevens: A Visionary Entrepreneur Who Transformed the Minnesota Music Scene
Danny Stevens, an exceptional entrepreneur with unparalleled business acumen, left an indelible mark on the music industry. As the primary founder of the Depot, which would later be known as First Avenue, Stevens pioneered a visionary approach that revolutionized the nightclub scene in Minneapolis.
Before Allan Fingerhut joined as a partner, Stevens had already laid the foundation for success. The club's winning formula for entertainment and policies, as well as its unique aesthetic, were meticulously crafted by Stevens himself after he secured the lease for the Minneapolis Greyhound Bus depot. His creative vision brought together a team of dedicated individuals, including Bruce Dayton, Bill Carlson WCCO host of This Must Be the Place, Dave Moore WCCO, Al Holbert Star Tribune, David Lieberman, Amos Heilicher Pickwick Record Stores, Eddie Phillips, Phillips Liquor, and others, who were instrumental in getting the club off the ground. With the first and last month's rent already paid, Stevens had meticulously planned every aspect of the venue's launch.
A key factor that set Stevens apart was his possession of a highly coveted class A liquor license from Jack Dow and the Hotel Hastings, the only one available at the time. In those days you could not secure a class A license off the shelf. It had to come from an existing business in that ward. There was no transfer from ward to ward. This license not only granted him exclusivity but also positioned the Depot as a premier destination in the city. Stevens's astute investment in the liquor license assured the club would thrive.
Moreover, Stevens enlisted the support of talented individuals like Timothy D. Kehr, Marsh Edelstein, and Dick Shapiro, who had already made waves at the renowned Diamond Lil's. Their contributions to the entertainment aspect of the club were invaluable as they secured top-billing acts. Together, this dream team would create nights filled with unforgettable performances and engaging experiences.
Despite facing challenges along the way, Stevens always emerged triumphant. When Allan Fingerhut approached Danny Stevens to become his partner when Mrs. Heffelfinger became very sick – She told Ted Mann she would still guarantee all expenses for 1 year, Stevens navigated the complexities diligently. He approached the liquor board and addressed any concerns they had about Fingerhut's association with Isadore Blumenfeld. Stevens assuaged fears related to Fingerhut's family connections and reassured them that his commitment to the club's success would not be compromised.
Stevens's steadfast determination, coupled with his tenacious approach to business, propelled the Depot forward. He maintained his position as President of the Corporation and never resigned nor wavered in his commitment to the club's growth. The bylaws prevented Stevens from selling his stock, firmly anchoring his influence in the Depot's development and eventual rise to the world-famous First Avenue. Allan Fingerhut became part of the Committee Inc. named by Danny’s brother Micky; however, Allan did not come on board until the fall of 1969 - Allan never produced the amount of money he committed to invest. In fact, many believe Allan caused more harm than good.
Unfortunately, even visionaries like Stevens encounter setbacks. Fingerhut's later involvement proved to be somewhat detrimental to the club's success. His actions, such as the unauthorized purchase of marketing billboards, accumulated substantial costs, amounting to nearly $30,000. Additionally, without Stevens's knowledge or approval, Fingerhut arbitrarily provided more funds than agreed upon to Joe Cocker and his team, leading to a loss of $7,000 on the Depot’s opening night.
In the face of these challenges, Stevens's resilience shown through. Despite Fingerhut's questionable actions, Stevens remained committed to his vision, tirelessly working to ensure the club's longevity. He weathered storms caused by individuals like Wilson Simon and Skip Goucher, who claimed they owned some of Fingerhut's Depot stock and their alleged financial contributions of $50,000 created some questions. This was stated the night Joe Cocker was picked up at the airport for the opening of The Depot. Wilson Simon punched Allan Fingerhut in the men’s bathroom at the airport.
It is important to note that Allan was not the original or sole founder of The Depot. Allan joined the Corporation later, and after everything was organized. Chris Riemenschneider’s book was quoted by Byron Frank & Allan Fingerhut on page 46 that they bought Danny’s stock in Committee Inc., and he was no longer part of the Depot. Danny never sold his stock or resigned. See below* for proof that Danny was still involved and never sold. Later in the book, Allan claimed his signature was forged. Danny made this same claim many years before Allan and Byron’s lawsuit against each other.
Near the end of the Depot, the Fingerhut family hired Joe Sandino, without Danny’s knowledge or permission, to manage the money. Joe claimed he was a good friend of Kid Cann. Joe became the manager of the club. He had no experience!
Because of those questionable people, Sharon Fingerhut quit as Secretary of the Corporation in 1971- as referenced in the liquor application of 1971. Her name is not listed as Secretary. Allan listed his name as Secretary.
Stevens's unwavering dedication to the Depot and its success allowed him to navigate the tumultuous landscape of the music industry as the world’s most famous musical acts performed at the club and cemented the Depot and First Avenue as the premiere destination for musical acts in Minnesota. His unwavering commitment to excellence saw him lead the club from its early stages through its transformation into the renowned First Avenue. Stevens's remarkable business acumen and enduring passion for delivering outstanding entertainment experiences propelled him beyond the confines of Minneapolis, leaving an indelible legacy in the music world.
Despite the false narratives and rumors perpetuated by misinformed writers and because of questionable actions by attorney Mel Orenstein (The Depot's corporate attorney),
and many other questionable or misinformed writers, like Chris Riemenschneider,
an untrue rumor was started and resulted in a false narrative about Allan Fingerhut’s involvement and contributions to the original concept and launch of The Depot. Chris allowed people like Byron Frank and Allan to stretch the truth and lie about the true history.
Chris Riemenschneider in his book, “First Avenue,” stated that Stevens's exceptional contributions remain undisputed. His vision, ability to assemble talented teams and his unrivaled business acumen, solidify Danny Stevens as one of the music industry's most influential and visionary entrepreneurs of his time. The revolutionary artist, Prince, may be the most well-known artist from Minnesota, however in the 60’s and 70’s the Minnesota music scene had its “king” and Danny Stevens’s legacy and impact on the region will remain unmatched.
True Story Of Depot To First Ave
The articles in the poster clearly state that Danny Steven's is the president of the committee inc. He owned the Depot to First Ave Night Club. Allan Fingerhut, Byrn Frank, Mel Orientean the Corporate Attorney and Chris Riemenschneider all tried to change the history of The Depot to First Ave Night Club and they excluded Danny Stevens which mislead the Public about the true story of The Depot. Clearly Allan Fingerhut's stock certified shares only had 1000 shares as well as Danny Stevens. Also Chris Riemenschneider changed the articles originally in the Star. The Scaffolding picture to make Danny Stevens unimportant and Allan Fingerhut more important. The writers at the time knew Allan Fingerhut was not the main person. Chris Riemenschneider was asked why he didn't use the picture from the Startribune story from February 22, 1970 which he had, as the first picture in his book which showed who started and built The Depot. He only mentioned Allan who paid him for creating the book and Bryan also contributed many lies within the book. The book is a one sided story that excludes Danny Stevens. It all started in 1968. Danny Stevens Because of Mrs. Heffelfinger, Jack Dow and Dick Shapiro started the friendship/relationship, the band played and packed both the Marquee Club at the Hastings Hotel and Diamond Lil's Nightclub. By the end of 1968 Danny Stevens came up with an idea of asking if we could rent part of the club from Jack Dow. Jack Dow wanted the band to play more dates. Jack Dow was already leasing an area of the club to Dave Rooney, a successful Jazz Pianist. We worked out a rent agreement from Jack Dow around August 1969. Jack Dow had somebody that later wanted to buy the whole building. If we gave up on Diamond Lil's Jack would suggest using The Greyhound Bus Depot that Danny, Micky and Ms. Heffelfinger were all ready interested in, and in return he would give Danny a class A Liquor License to have at the Depot from the Hastings Hotel which was to be demolished in Downtown Minneapolis. This is when Ms. Heffelfinger came on board in early 1969. She helped to negotiate a deal with Ted Mann and Marvin Mann for the use of the Greyhound Bus Depot. Danny would be the only party that had a Class A Liquor License for the Depot. In those days you didn't get a liquor license off the shelf, it has to be an existing liquor license in that ward. A deal had been consummated with Ted and Marvin Mann. The first and last month's rent was prepaid by Danny, and Ms. Heffelfinger.
Mickey came up with the corporate name Committee Inc. By mid summer Ms. Heffelfinger was feeling ill and wanted to step back from the project, but made it clear to Ted Mann that she would be responsible for one years rent. Along with Mickey and Ms.Heffelfinger Ted Mann made it clear he would help find a responsible partner because Danny had a valuable Liquor License for that building and made a down payment for the lease. Ted Mann felt secure with doing business with Danny because that building with Danny in there had a valuable piece of the puzzle which was the class A Liquor License. The building now had a class A valuable Liquor License from the same ward which Ted couldn't get because none were available. Danny, Ms. Heffelfinger, and Jack Dow met several times with the Minneapolis Liquor Board and Dick Short who was the go to man for the Minneapolis Liquor License Transfer. Everything was completely in place that Danny had Eddy Philips Liquor Company that would be our supplier of liquor. Amos Heilicher would handle all video games and was available to loan money if necessary. The media because of Danny and Micky were on board to make a big production out of it. That would be Allan Holbert The StarTribune, Lynn Lawyer Press Secretary for Minneapolis paper, Bill Carison From WCCO and Nancy Nelson from WTCN. In 1969 Early fall, Allan Fingerhut Approached Danny at Diamond Lil's offering him to be Danny's partner. Danny didn't know much about Allan so he checked Allan out and found out he had a great name, but no brains. So we talked for a few weeks and Danny thought he would try to see if the business would work. Mrs. Heffelfinger and Danny went down to Dick Short of the Liquor Department to explain the changes so that her name wouldn't be on the liquor license. Dick Short and other people from the liquor department were not happy about the Fingerhut family being part of this unique idea because they were associated with questionable people. After many discussions with the city liquor board we were able to solve the problem for Allen so that they would approve the transfer of the liquor license. We have accurate evidence of the facts that tell the true story about the depot and Danny Stevens involvement.
Attempting to Change History: The Truth About The Depot and First Avenue
Allan Fingerhut, Byron Frank, Mel Orenstein, corporate attorney Chris Riemenschneider, and others have tried to change the facts about the history of The Depot, later known as First Avenue Nightclub, misleading the public along the way. The true story begins with Steve McClellan, who transformed Uncle Sam’s into First Avenue. It was Danny Stevens and Page Joe Daszkiewicz of Diamond Lil’s/Time Square Nightclub who initially brought national music acts to The Depot and laid the groundwork for the building’s music legacy.
Contrary to claims made on the First Avenue website, Danny Stevens played a critical role early on. Stevens, along with many others, fought hard to secure key licenses and permits necessary for the nightclub’s operations, including a Minneapolis Liquor License. The website falsely credits Allan Fingerhut and Danny Stevens together for the 50th anniversary, but evidence shows Stevens was largely excluded by Fingerhut and his associates.
Notably, there was no straightforward system for obtaining liquor licenses for nightclubs during that era unless you owned a hotel. Danny Stevens faced a grueling process and needed support from figures like Amos Heilicher and Jack Dow. The First Avenue website and various public narratives downplay or omit this critical history, misleading the public about the true foundation of The Depot.
Evidence from documents—including a poster about The Depot’s early days—shows that Stevens’ role was intentionally minimized. Sharon Sandino, cited on the First Avenue website, was not even working at The Depot during its formation in 1970. In fact, Sharon was hired by Fingerhut’s team after the establishment was already thriving.
Multiple official documents and newspaper articles expose the truth:
Danny Stevens was essential in securing the original licenses and business arrangements.
Byron Frank and Allan Fingerhut misrepresented Stevens’ role and fabricated elements of the early history.
Court documents from Fingerhut’s bankruptcy proceedings reveal further discrepancies about his role and financial actions.
During Fingerhut’s bankruptcy, it became clear that without Danny Stevens’ early licensing work, The Depot/First Avenue would not have survived. Stevens was critical to the club’s operational and legal foundation. Had Stevens not acted when he did, the venue likely would have lost its liquor license and shut down.
Fingerhut and Frank’s alleged agreements with Stevens to buy back liquor rights and compensate him for his role were never fulfilled, rendering those agreements null and void. Misleading books, articles, and the First Avenue website continue to suppress these facts, creating a false history.
In truth, The Depot and later First Avenue owe their existence to a broader coalition of individuals—especially Danny Stevens—who fought to establish the venue against significant odds. It is unfortunate that Allan Fingerhut, Byron Frank, Mel Orenstein, and Chris Riemenschneider chose to distort these facts for their benefit.
Ultimately, the real history deserves to be acknowledged: Danny Stevens and many others made First Avenue possible, and attempts to rewrite that story do a disservice to the legacy of one of the world’s most iconic music venues.
– Cayla Richards
*The bill of sale of the liquor license shows that Jack Dow/Hotel Hastings sold the license only to Danny Stevens not to Allan Fingerhut.
*The tax documents dated August 1976 show Danny was still getting tax statements signed by Byron Frank who put misleading statements in the book.