To Our Community,
Our intention in opening an independent performance venue and cafe in Madison was to create a safe space that warmly welcomed everyone and celebrated all of our city’s diverse communities. We have been intentional in our booking, hiring, and buying practices in an effort to satisfy this intention. Regretfully, we didn’t put the same thought into naming our establishment.
We desired for it to be linked to a place and decided to name it after the street it’s located on. But Winnebago is not just a street. The Winnebago are a People, and we had no right to use their name. For eight months, we have been welcoming people into a space with a name that isn’t ours to use and we’re committed to righting this wrong.
We would like to take this opportunity to formally apologize to The Ho-Chunk Nation, The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, and indigenous populations as a whole for our participation in the continuing appropriation of their cultures and names. This announcement is only the start of the action steps we’ll be taking to make this right.
On January 1st, 2020, we will officially be changing our name. Although we haven’t yet settled on the new name, we will be sure to keep you updated.
We encourage any questions, comments, or concerns on this topic as we move forward with this transition.
With gratitude,
John & Jake DeHaven
Co-Owners
Contact Information & Media Inquiries
John DeHaven
