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The Custer Beacon shines light on live music in the community
News Center 1 - June 29, 2019
Owner of the Custer Beacon, Louis Umbarger, said he saw a need in the community for this shared space, “Well Custer is perfectly situated for all sorts of awesome adventuring. We’ve got the park, the caves, Mount Rushmore, but there wasn’t really a place where Custer itself can shine once the sun goes down. So we wanted to create a space to host some nightlife, bring music back into our community, and just sort of make space for events of all kinds to have a home here in Custer.”
Continued: NBC News Center 1
Best Place for Dinner and a Show 2021 | The Custer Beacon
605 Magazine - December 1, 2021
The scratch-kitchen restaurant in Custer is a 605 favorite. Eat. Sip. Gather. Groove. That’s the mantra, and we’re following it. Whether we’re munching on top-notch cuisine (Curry Poutine), playing yard games, or catching a concert or karaoke night, there’s always something to do. 351 Washington Street, Custer.
Continued: 605 Magazine
A Swanky Shed in the Hills | The Custer Beacon
605 Magazine - August 30, 2021
Not long ago, Minneapolis native Louis Umbarger found a photograph of himself and his father taken near downtown Custer during a family vacation in the ‘90s. Poking through the picture’s edge is the corner of a steel warehouse that belonged to his grandfather, who owned Pacer Minerals south of town. During the mid-20th century, the warehouse served as a loading dock for trains that shipped ore via the track that is now part of the George S. Mickelson Trail.
Two decades later, that warehouse now supplies Custer with ample entrées, local brews and live music under its metal roof. It’s both a gathering space for Custer and an undertaking that beckoned Louis’ family back to the Hills.
A beacon, if you will.
Continued: 605 Magazine
5 fun reasons to head west this winter | The Custer Beacon
Pigeon 605 - December 6, 2023
“We’re always whipping up tasty new things and a lot of creative things in our kitchen,” Umbarger said. “We do the Dakota Dip – it’s a French dip with thin-sliced beef and homemade au jus. We do great sandwiches. Our Cubano is second to none.”
He’s also proud of the live music. “I’ve heard it time and again that it is a favorite stage to play for bands in the area. We bring in a lot of national and touring talent, as well as local artists.”
It also hosts open mic nights and karaoke. Umbarger has been known to get up and sing the theme from “Rawhide.”
The room also is used for other events, including fundraisers. “We are heavily involved with a bunch of local charity organizations,” he said. “We raise hundreds of thousands of dollars in our room each year for local charity events.”
Continued: Pigeon 605
