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The Budweiser sign on the facade of the Iowa Buffet. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
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The Iowa Buffet. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
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Judy and Wallis in front of the Iowa Buffet. Film still, "The Makings of You"
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Iowa Buffet bartender Glen Speickerman in a cameo in "The Makings of You" (film still)
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Amato on the back patio of Iowa Buffet, where Judy (Sheryl Lee) and Wallis (Jay Ferguson) shared their first kiss in "The Makings of You." Photograph by Chris Naffziger
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Judy and Wallis' first kiss on the back patio of Iowa Buffet. Film still, "The Makings of You"
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Super's Bungalow. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
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Super's Bungalow. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
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Smiley, a Super's Bungalow karaoke regular, in "The Makings of You" (film still)
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Amato on the "break-up stoop" across from Super's Bungalow. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
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Judy and Wallis on the stoop across from Super's. Film still, "The Makings of You"
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Judy's Corner. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
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Crabby, a regular at Iowa Buffet. Photograph courtesy of Matt Amato
Day drinking. Generally it’s not something that is looked upon favorably by many people, but yet for those just getting off the midnight shift, or looking to get out of the house, there are those places, tucked here and there will be open before noon to oblige their needs. Matt Amato, while searching out shooting locations for The Makings of You, was immediately drawn to these neighborhood institutions, often existing on quiet backstreets, tucked away and known only to the regulars who live within a block or two of the bar.
While giving the author a tour of various non-drinking shooting locations around the region, Amato also showed the various local bars that played a critical role in the narrative of the movie. Chosen for their ease of shooting, charisma of their regulars and availability for filming, these bars, while not appearing in Esquire articles about St. Louis, are the place where the common man drinks, and where characters such as Wallis and Judy would naturally gravitate. As Amato observes, “the main characters in the film have drinking problems; we needed locations where they would feel comfortable.” For the purposes of this article, the bars used in the movie were chosen to represent a wide variety of locations and history around the metro area.
Super’s Bungalow Beer Garden, Holly Hills (5323 Leona)
Holly Hills was original named to allude to Hollywood, back when it was constructed as one of the first auto-centric neighborhoods in the city. Holly Hills is the type of neighborhood where ties are close, and where people know your business. As the author and Amato stood outside, snapping pictures of the wood frame bar (probably originally a house), the bartender came out and asked our business. With a few words of assurance from Amato, her suspicion melted away, and she warmly welcomed us into the bar. Amato had been searching for the perfect location where Roy (Grand Leuchtner) could observe Wallis and Judy’s breakup outside of the bar. Super's, and the stoop across the street, fit the bill. “We didn’t even have to fake the perspective,” Amato remarks. Fittingly, the crew used an antique fire truck to make rain for the scene, right out in front of a bar known for being a firefighters’ hangout.
Iowa Buffet, Gravois Park (2727 Winnebago)
First off, the Iowa Buffet is not a buffet. Sitting at the corner of Winnebago and Iowa, the bar has anchored this area of Gravois Park for decades. Yes, it’s in that part of the city “where the state streets intersect the Indian tribe streets.” And certainly Gravois Park has experienced its ups and downs over the last couple of decades. But step inside, and the sense of timelessness and stability for which the Iowa Buffet is known becomes immediately apparent. Walking in the front door, sitting on the first bar stool like a movie star, is Crabby, who was quietly sitting in the bar in much the same way as he was the day Amato filmed him. It’s one of the few bars left in the city that still allows smoking. “People are really nice," Amato assures me. "If you tell them you’re allergic to cigarette smoke, they’ll go outside.” As mentioned before, there’s no buffet, but there are some of the best hamburgers in the entire city, made on a grill behind the bar that's been in service for 50 years. Sit out on the patio, drink a beer and eat a hamburger, just as people have been doing for decades.
Judy’s Corner, Dupo, Illinois (534 S. Main)
“You’ll have to talk louder; I’m a little hard of hearing,” Judy told us as we walked into her bar in Dupo. The bar, which sits right across from the high school, is in an old gas station; it was rumored to have been built from the wood of boxcars that crashed on the old rail line, which ran by the corner back in the day. Dupo is still a city of railroads, and the giant yard surrounding the town is still teeming with dozens of railcars. “Come back in a couple of weeks; I’m completely replacing all of the siding on the bar,” Judy helpfully informed us. Amato chatted with Judy for a bit, as she had actually been absent the day of shooting. A couple of her employees had made it to the opening of The Makings of You, she said. “What did they think of it?” Amato asked. “Oh, I don’t know if they liked it, Judy replied, “but they did get this beer glass from the reception.” Amato listened intently to Judy’s constructive criticism; for the director, the opinions of the common people who feature so prominently in his movie matter just as much as the critics.Judy turned around and showed off the pilfered Heineken glass. Beer specials are cheap here; swing by the next time you’re in Dupo.
Chris Naffziger writes about architecture at St. Louis Patina. Contact him via e-mail at naffziger@gmail.com.
