Punch Bohn remembers the Pig 'N Whistle

I was lucky enough to experience the Pig 'N Whistle, a classic West Colfax motel on the "fabulous 40 strip," when it was still run by former boxer Eddie Bohn. I heard tales from Bohn as we drank beers in the front bar, covered with boxing memorabilia; I hosted a...

By Patricia Calhoun

April 23, 2010

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I was lucky enough to experience the Pig 'N Whistle, a classic West Colfax motel on the "fabulous 40 strip," when it was still run by former boxer Eddie Bohn. I heard tales from Bohn as we drank beers in the front bar, covered with boxing memorabilia; I hosted a bachelorette party for a Westword writer in the back room, a veritable pig pen painted pink, with murals of dancing porkers on the walls and plenty of porkorific barbecue on the plates in front of us.

The physical remnants of the Pig 'N Whistle, which closed down almost twenty years ago, were consumed yesterday in a fire. But the memories remain.

Yesterday Michael Roberts tracked down Eddie "Punch" Bohn Junior, who served up lots of stories about the place. "I was so lucky growing up around all that," says Punch, now 69. "I met every celebrity from every walk of life." Read the full piece here.

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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