Eating popcorn at Minder Binders and the Bum Steer in the 1980s, Tempe and Tucson, Arizona


Back in the early '80s, while I was going to ASU (Arizona State University) one of my favorite places to go was Minder Binders, which was right there in Tempe. I'm sure that I ate a lot of popcorn there, because it was free, but I really don't recall. And I sure didn't know that Minder Binders had a similar place in Tucson, called the Bum Steer. Of course, if I'd looked at the popcorn bag I would have known, but I'm thinking that my eyes were focused on other stuff in those days, like those amazing ASU coeds.

A friend of a friend of mine (no, I won't tell you who it is) has a lot of wonderful Minder Binders stuff, and he was kind enough to not only let me see it, but to let me show it to you here in my blog.

As you can see, Minder Binders was at 715 S. Hayden in Tempe, and the Bum Steer was at 1910 Stone Avenue in Tucson. If you're a Wildcat, calm down there, you're among friends with me. It's true now, and it was true back then, I never had the slightest interest in a football rivalry. I did like Minder Binders, and I'm sure that I would have liked the Bum Steer!


As a cartoon illustrator myself, my eye is drawn to the signature, which is Brento. My best guess is that this was drawn in the 1970s, and has a wonderful "R. Crumb" kind of feel, which was very popular in my younger days. The "compliments of your chums" means that the popcorn was free, know. I guess they figured that if you ate popcorn and got thirsty, you'd order more beer. Makes sense!

The character of Minder Binders shows his head twisted, which is the idea behind the name - his mind is being bent. My girlfriend at the time always called the place "Minder Bogglers", which kinda means the same thing - your brain is twisted by it. And if you ever went there, and saw the bizarre decor, you know the feeling. My mind was boggled when I was in there, and a lot of people drank a LOT of alcohol there, and their brains must have been even more boggled. Or bent, or in a bind.

I can't speak for the Bum Steer, except to say that it displayed an attitude, and of course people were allowed to smoke in these places. really don't recall too much of it, but smoking went along with drinking for most people. Most of the people there were young, so I can't image much cigar smoking went on, but I'm that sure it did.

Thank you for visiting Minder Binders and the Bum Steer today, compliments of your chums. No charge!
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