John McGivern's Main Streets: Recent Episodes
John McGivern and Lois Maurer
Welcome to John McGivern's Main Streets, the podcast that takes you behind the scenes of this popular TV program. Each episode features great stories about communities across the Midwest featuring actor and comedian John McGivern.
And last but not least...
Listen in with John, Emmy, Lois and this week's content producer as they talk about the best behind the scenes stories in Port Washington, Wisconsin.
We want to extend a special thank you to all the fans of the show. Thank you for a great 5 seasons!
So much art and not enough time!
Listen in with John, Emmy, Lois and this week's content producer as they talk about the best behind the scenes stories in Ames, Iowa.
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We didn't need to travel for this one. It's in our own backyard!
Listen in with John, Emmy, Lois and this week's content producer as they talk about the best behind the scenes stories in Walkers Point, Wisconsin.
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Keep 'er movin! We've got some crazy interviews this episode!
Listen in with John, Emmy, Lois and this week's content producer as they talk about the best behind the scenes stories in Eagle River, Wisconsin.
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All aboard the Trolley! Tune in with John, Emmy, Lois and this week's content producer as they talk about the best behind the scenes stories in Elmhurst, Illinois.
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"The tug is the drug" is our new saying for the week! Find out why with John, Emmy, Lois and this week's content producer as they talk about the best behind the scenes stories in Lanesboro, MN.
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We got to see some bee-autiful places this episode ;) Join John, Emmy, Lois and this week's content producer as they talk about the best behind the scenes stories in the West Coast, WI.
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You've heard it before and we'll say it again: You've just got to see Greendale! Join John, Emmy, Lois and this week's content producer as they talk about the best behind the scenes stories in Greendale, WI. Tune in to see if you're the next fan shoutout!
We're talking to everything from breweries to saunas this episode!
Join John, Emmy, Lois and this week's content producer as they talk about the best behind the scenes stories in Stevens Point, WI
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#JohnMcGivernsMainStreets #ExploreLocal #MidwestStories
Any excuse to put Emmy in a kayak! Join John, Emmy, Lois and this week's content producer as they talk about the best behind the scenes stories in St. Joseph and Benton Harbor, Michigan.
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#JohnMcGivernsMainStreets #ExploreLocal #MidwestStories
We were on fire this episode! Literally. Join John, Emmy, Lois and this week's content producer as they talk about the best behind the scenes stories in Crown Point, Indiana.
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#JohnMcGivernsMainStreets #ExploreLocal #MidwestStories
So good we couldn't pick just one! We're talking the Pleasant Cities this week. Join John, Emmy, Lois and this weeks content producer as they talk about the best behind the scenes stories.
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#JohnMcGivernsMainStreets #ExploreLocal #MidwestStories
We're kicking off season 5 in Oshkosh, WI this week! Join John, Emmy and Lois as they talk about the best behind the scenes stories.
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#JohnMcGivernsMainStreets #ExploreLocal #MidwestStories
We're in West Bend, WI this week! Join John, Emmy and Lois as they talk about the best snacks in the city, why John went to jail, and updating their wardrobe.
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BINGO! We're in Ludington, Michigan this week! Join John, Emmy, Lois and Lance as they discuss getting seasick, talking to statues, and catching storms on camera.
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#JohnMcGivernsMainStreets #ExploreLocal #MidwestStories
How do you say this city's name? We're in NorthEast Minneapolis, Minnesota this week! Listen in as John, Emmy, Lois and Emily talk all things behind-the-scenes of this beautiful city.
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We're in Spooner, Wisconsin this week! Join John, Emmy, Lois and Evan as they discuss railroads, Emmy's driving skills, and what makes a great rodeo.
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It's the city of firsts! We're in Kokomo, Indiana this week. Join John, Emmy, Lois and Emily as they discuss BIG landmarks, early morning sweets, and all things geek street!
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#JohnMcGivernsMainStreets #ExploreLocal #MidwestStories
West Allis? More like Best Allis! We're close to home in West Allis, Wisconsin this week. Listen in as John, Emmy, Lois and Lance talk the best sweets in town, capturing history, and some crazy workouts!
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#JohnMcGivernsMainStreets #ExploreLocal #MidwestStories
We hope you brought your lucky fishing hat! We're in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin this week. Join John, Emmy, Lois, and Emily as they share behind-the-scenes secrets from this city!
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❤️ Support the Show This program is made possible by the generous support of our sponsors and underwriters. Visit https://www.friendsofmainstreets.org to learn more or make a donation to support our mission.
Double trouble! We're in the twin cities LaSalle/Peru, Illinois this week. Listen in as John, Emmy, Lois, and Evan discuss beautiful churches, glamping, and updating John's wardrobe!
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❤️ Support the Show This program is made possible by the generous support of our sponsors and underwriters. Visit https://www.friendsofmainstreets.org to learn more or make a donation to support our mission.
Should we take up curling? We're in St. Paul, Minnesota this week! Catch up with John, Emmy, Lois and Emily as they give all the behind the scenes gossip from this episode.
Tune in to see if you're the next fan shoutout!
❤️ Support the Show This program is made possible by the generous support of our sponsors and underwriters. Visit https://www.friendsofmainstreets.org to learn more or make a donation to support our mission.
#JohnMcGivernsMainStreets #ExploreLocal #MidwestStories
It's never too early for Christmas! We're in Frankenmuth, Michigan this week. Join John, Emmy, Lois, and Lance as they discuss decorations, iconic music, and John's wardrobe.
❤️ Support the Show This program is made possible by the generous support of our sponsors and underwriters. Visit https://www.friendsofmainstreets.org to learn more or make a donation to support our mission.
Tune in to see if you're the next fan shoutout!
We're in Cedar Rapids, Iowa this week! Catch all the behind the scenes secrets with John, Emmy, Lois, and Ken as they discuss crazy characters, stinky art and what happens when weather becomes unexpected.
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Find extra content, podcasts or show merchandise on https://mainstreets.tv.
@mainstreetstv on social
Got your dancing shoes on? We’re in Indianapolis, Indiana this week! Catch all the behind the scenes gossip with John, Emmy, Lois, and Ken as they discuss shoes, dancing, and what John refuses to do for an episode.
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Find extra content, podcasts or show merchandise on https://mainstreets.tv.
@mainstreetstv on social
It's great to be back! This week we're in Long Grove, Illinois. Catch all the behind the scenes gossip with John, Emmy, Lois, and Evan as they discuss shopping, sock monkeys and the secret message behind the cities flag pole.
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Find extra content, podcasts or show merchandise on https://mainstreets.tv.
@mainstreetstv on social
Got your life vest? We’re in Madison, Wisconsin this week! Catch all the behind the scenes gossip with John, Emmy, and Lois as they discuss art, food, and museums in Land of the Four Lakes.
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Find extra content, podcasts or show merchandise on https://mainstreets.tv.
@mainstreetstv on social
Food science? That’s our specialty. Join John, Emmy, and Lois as they talk about college life, root beer, and the great art collections of Greater Lafayette, Indiana.
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Find extra content, podcasts or show merchandise on https://mainstreets.tv.
@mainstreetstv on social
Wait, how many flavors of Spam are there?! Listen in as John, Emmy, and Lois discuss wacky flavors, how-tos on messy food, and what it takes to spot a local in Austin, Minnesota.
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Find extra content and show merchandise on https://mainstreets.tv.
@mainstreetstv on social
We had a lot of surprises with this trip! Join John, Emmy, and Lois as they discuss the busiest bakeries, ore docks, and parks dedicated to art.
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Find extra content and show merchandise on https://mainstreets.tv.
@mainstreetstv on social
I think John has found a new hobby! Listen in as John, Emmy, and Lois discuss cleaning up cemeteries, Emmy’s dancing skills, and John’s fashion in Decorah, Iowa.
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Find extra content and show merchandise on https://mainstreets.tv.
@mainstreetstv on social
The mayor makes what?! Join John, Emmy, and Lois as they discuss being close to home, the new generation of theater, and the best picnic foods in Waukesha, Wisconsin!
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Find extra content and show merchandise on https://mainstreets.tv.
@mainstreetstv on social
Lois really put John and Emmy through the wringer with this one! Listen in as they talk about crazy weather, great food, and amazing people in Oak Park, Illinois.
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Find extra content and show merchandise on https://mainstreets.tv.
@mainstreetstv on social
John, Emmy and Lois go behind the scenes of Red Wing, Minnesota where they discuss boating, special Red Wing Shoes, and who has the best café in town!
Tune in to see if you're the next fan shoutout!
Find extra content and show merchandise on https://mainstreets.tv.
@mainstreetstv on social
Michigan City, Indiana, surprised John by having so many of his favorite things: Incredible sandy beaches and dunes (so unlike Milwaukee), the Barker Mansion (very Downton Abbey), beautiful consignment and local stores (an addiction for sure), large scale manufacturing (so much to learn), and, of course, delicious food (yes, pierogies please)!
In this episode you'll hear from John, Emmy, and Main Streets producer and director Lois Maurer as they share favorite memories from filming and interesting stories from the community.
Grand Rapids, Michigan, was once known as Furniture City. Now thanks to craft brewers, it’s self-coined as Beer City. The top tourist attraction is probably The Gerald R Ford Presidential Museum. But ArtPrize, Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and Max’s South Seas Hideaway help make this city just plain attractive!
In this episode you'll hear from John, Emmy, and Main Streets producer and director Lois Maurer as they share favorite memories from filming and interesting stories from the community.
Davenport is the largest of the Quad Cities and the third largest city in Iowa. It’s where chiropractic began, and music is celebrated. Now it’s home to the most incredible Ethiopian food, a great art museum, and is where work vehicle seats are made. Who knew? It’s also a city John wants to visit again soon.
In this episode you'll hear from John, Emmy, and Main Streets producer and director Lois Maurer as they share favorite memories from filming and interesting stories from the community.
In Springfield, Illinois, you could spend a week just taking in all of the incredible Abraham Lincoln history. But then you’d miss the “new” Capitol, horseshoe sandwiches, the Route 66 experience, and cozy dogs. John McGivern and Emmy Fink didn’t miss any of it, so come along for their visit.
In this episode you'll hear from John, Emmy, and Main Streets producer and director Lois Maurer as they share favorite memories from filming and interesting stories from the community.
Dodgeville, WI, is a close-knit yet welcoming driftless area community built on mining.
Dodgeville has some legendary Wisconsin treasures, like Governor Dodge State Park, The House on the Rock and Bob’s Bitchin BBQ. There are legendary people, like Softball Coach Gene Van Dyke and the Reilly brothers. Dodgeville more recently attracted Steph’s Sweet Treats, White Oak Savanna and John McGivern, who has his eye on a house – again!
In this episode you’ll hear from John, Main Streets producer and director Lois Maurer, and Art Director Aaron Johnson as they share favorite memories from filming and interesting stories from the community.
Goshen is in Elkhart County, IN. This area makes 85% of recreational vehicles in the US. Dynamax, Janus Motorcycles, Goshen College and Radio Horizonte were surprising. Mexican food is a given here, but Neopolitan pizza at Venturi and Maple City Indian Restaurant? Yum! Add the Old Bag Factory and Quilt Gardens and what you get is joy.
In this episode you’ll hear from John, Main Streets producer and director Lois Maurer, and content producer Evan Watters as they share favorite memories from filming and interesting stories from the community.
Iowa City is a college town. Go Hawkeyes! It’s also a literary town, home to Prairie Lights Books and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. It’s a farming town, growing well at Urban Greens and Wilson’s Orchard & Farm. And it’s an innovative town, with one-of-a-kinds like the National Advanced Driving Simulator, Unimpaired Dry Bar and Crepes De Luxe Café.
In this episode you’ll hear from John, Main Streets producer and director Lois Maurer, and content producer Ken Schellin as they share favorite memories from filming and interesting stories from the community.
In Milwaukee WI’s Menomonie Valley, The Harley Davidson Museum, Palermo’s Potawatomi Casino and BBC Lighting are well known and always fun. But there’s more happening here. Do you like pickled foods? Bay View Packing is for you. Art? Warehouse Art Museum is unreal. How about eating and drinking? Twisted Fisherman and Third Space Brewing got you!
In this episode you’ll hear from John, Main Streets producer and director Lois Maurer, and content producer Lance Miller as they share favorite memories from filming and interesting stories from the community.
Escanaba, Michigan, has a “Yooper” culture all their own.
You can taste it in the delicious pasties at Dobber’s and in the sweet wines at Leigh’s Winery. You can hear it in Ludington Park when nearly 100-year old City Band plays. You can feel it in the great outdoors while you fish with Beaver’s Lures or watch the sun rise at Terrace Bay Inn.
In this episode you’ll hear from John, Main Streets producer and director Lois Maurer, and content producer Evan Watters as they share favorite memories from filming and interesting stories from the community.
Winona, MN, is a city of 26,000 very lucky people, built on a Mississippi River sandbar.
A Willet Hauser, artists make stained glass. Watkins Co. employees make tons of vanilla, and the crew at Wenonah Canoe make – guess. Sugar Loaf Bluff is a paradise for climbers, Yarnology is home for knitter and NOSH is heaven for John, because he’s an eater!
In this episode you’ll hear from John, Main Streets producer and director Lois Maurer, and content producer Emily Annunziata as they share favorite memories from filming and interesting stories from the community.
Fort Wayne, Indiana, is such a great city to visit, but residents say the best part is living here.
John knew it’s home to Vera Bradley and Sweetwater. But he didn’t expect a Diocesan Museum, a huge Public Library with genealogy center and Abe Lincoln collection, the most perfect Children’s Zoo or Coney Island Hot Dogs. What a great city!
In this episode you’ll hear from John, Main Streets producer and director Lois Maurer, and content producer Lance Miller as they share favorite memories from filming and interesting stories from the community.
Woodstock, Illinois, may have been put on the map by the movie Groundhog Day, but it’s what John McGivern finds in real life that deserves the spotlight. Beside the movie tour stops, places like Cherry Tree Inn, Boss Straws, Ethereal Confections and Dented Gate Flower Farm make Woodstock the perfect little community.
In this episode you’ll hear from John, Main Streets producer and director Lois Maurer, and content producer Lance Miller as they share favorite memories from filming and interesting stories from the community.
Iowa’s Amana Colonies lived communally until 1932. Today their innovative past and welcoming hospitality draw visitors by the thousands. John McGivern is reminded of a simpler time at the Meat Shop, the Woolen Mill and Schanz Furniture, and very grateful for present amenities at Whirlpool Corp, the Ox Yoke Inn and Millwright Hotel.
In this episode you’ll hear from John, Main Streets producer and director Lois Maurer, and content producer Emily Annunziata as they share favorite memories from filming and interesting stories from the community.
What’s in Holland, Michigan, besides tulips? Get ready for all things Dutch, and much more. John McGivern clomps around in wooden shoes at the Windmill Gardens, satisfies his sweet tooth at Nelis’ Dutch Village and DeBoer Bakery, cherishes his wooden bowl from the Holland Bowl Mill, and is enthralled at the only Delft factory in North America.
In this episode you’ll hear from John, Main Streets producer and director Lois Maurer, and content producer Lance Miller as they share favorite memories from filming and interesting stories from the community.
Everybody knows that Bloomington, MN is home to that Mall of America, but the behind-the-scenes tour was full of surprises for John McGivern. Then there’s the rest of the city. He didn’t expect to find a ski jump, the largest bicycle distributor in America, the first tap room in Minnesota and a goat farm!
In this episode you’ll hear from John, Main Streets producer and director Lois Maurer, and content producer Emily Annunziata as they share favorite memories from filming and interesting stories from the community.
De Pere, WI is sometimes called a suburb of Green Bay, but don’t say that to anyone who lives there. John McGivern loved visiting both sides of downtown, the only Notbertine College in the world, making his own blend of Luna Coffee, opening the manual lock on the Fox Locks system and tasting all that Seroogy’s Chocolates has to offer.
In this episode you’ll hear from John, Main Streets producer and director Lois Maurer, and content producer Ken Schellin as they share favorite memories from filming and interesting stories from the community.
Chicago’s Lincoln Square neighborhood boasts a main street straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting. John McGivern enjoys the German roots still present, but also finds many ethnicities in this diverse neighborhood. A few highlights include the Old Town School of Folk Music, Merz Apothecary, Gene’s Sausage and Timeless Toys.
In this episode you’ll hear from John, Main Streets producer and director Lois Maurer, and newest addition to the Main Streets team Emmy Fink as they share favorite memories from filming and interesting stories from the community.
Welcome to season 2 of John McGivern’s Main Streets!
The Main Streets podcast takes you behind the scenes of this popular TV program. As we explore great communities across the Midwest on the show each week, you can come here to get the inside scoop from John, Main Streets producer and director Lois Maurer and the content producer of that week’s episode.
To kick off the new season, John and Lois are joined by Wisconsin-loved TV personality and newest addition to the Main Streets team Emmy Fink. Learn about what has changed since season 1 and how John and Emmy felt right before their first episode together.
Sister Bay was named after the unincorporated Sister Islands just off the horizon in the bay.Its endless shoreline has been a hotspot for tourists since the late 1800s.
In 1900, Kalamazoo was the celery capital of the world! No kidding. The nearby “mucklands” are perfect for growing celery! In the second half of the 1800s, Kalamazoo was known as paper city. The Bryant Paper Company here in Kalamazoo became the largest Michigan manufacturer of book paper. And by World War II, a score of local mills made Kalamazoo the largest paper producer in the nation.
Le Claire is a storied river town, a classic Mississippi River port that boomed in the mid–19th century.
The old river pilot homes are still here, which are testament to the fact that river pilots were needed because here is where the river makes a sharp turn to the west. LeClaire is about 15 miles northeast of the Quad Cities and is so close that it’s considered by some to be a suburb of the Quad Cities.
Formed more than 10-thousand years ago by glaciers, the area was first the home of the Miami and Potawatomi tribes. The area quickly thrived thanks to its location to not just Lake Michigan, but also rivers –helping the fur trade and eventually steel production, flourish. But the water wasn’t the only mode of transpiration that brought in commerce. Railroads brought in goods and people. Today, the Indiana Dunes are a hot spot for visitors in the Midwest and beyond.
Rochester is located in Southeastern Minnesota. It’s about an hour and a half drive southwest of the Twin Cities and about 50 miles due east of Winona on the Mississippi River. Today, Rochester has residents and visitors from all around the world. The city’s population is about 120,000 and the Mayo Clinic employs over 40,000 of them.
This charming town in northwest Illinois is named after a mineral mined here 20 years before the gold rush in California. It was a booming mining town in 1860 with a population of over 12000 when Ulysses S Grant moved here. Grant and the lead mines are no more, but the buildings still are.
The Harbor District has been a hub of prosperity for hundreds of years –first as a rice marsh with plentiful fish and game, then as an economic hub that served industries throughout the state.
Roughly, the boundaries are Pittsburg Avenue on the north side of Harbor District, Bay Street to the south, South First Street to the west and Lake Michigan to the east.
South Bend is on the St. Joseph River and got its name because the city sits on the river’s southernmost bend.
The first residents were the Miami and Potawatomi tribes –and the river access eventually drew in an influx of fur traders.
Established in 1865, South Bend saw a business boom in industry thanks to the St. Joseph River. Studebaker, Oliver Chilled Plow, and Singer Sewing machines were just a few of the big names. But we can’t forget the University of Notre Dame. It’s a huge influence on the economy and culture in South Bend to this day.
On the corner of Myrtle and Main Streets in Stillwater, Minnesota began. So why here? Well... when Wisconsin became a state in 1848, that left people WEST of the St. Croix river “high and dry” with no government. So, the people of Stillwater held a territorial convention right hereand voted to send a delegate to Washington D.C. to organize a new territory called “Minnesota”which became a territory in 1849, and a state in 1858.
John & his producer Lois Maurer on the drive home as they chat about their impressions of the community and share interesting stories that may have hit the cutting room floor.
Rockford is the largest city in Illinois outside of the Chicago area. It was originally known as “Midway Village” because, for travelers, it was halfway between Chicago and Galena.
This city was known for industrial manufacturing in the last century but today it’s been retooled into a center for healthcare and aerospace technology.
John & his producer Lois Maurer on the drive home as they chat about their impressions of the community and share interesting stories that may have hit the cutting room floor.
Being right on Lake Michigan, South Haven Michigan has always been a port city. In the late 1800s, the surrounding timber industry gave way to farming, but another industry grew very well here–the resort and tourism industry. John & his producer Lois Maurer on the drive home as they chat about their impressions of the community and share interesting stories that may have hit the cutting room floor.
John & his producer Lois Maurer on the drive home as they chat about their impressions of the community and share interesting stories that may have hit the cutting room floor. This city has the same name as the lake. Green Lake is about seven miles wide, and its maximum depth is 237 feet, making it the deepest natural lake in all of Wisconsin. It’s a great spot for fishing, golfing, sailing, canoeing, hiking, biking, and pretty much any relaxing outdoor activity you can think of. Some people even come here to SCUBA dive.
John & his producer Lois Maurer on the drive home as they chat about their impressions of the community and share interesting stories that may have hit the cutting room floor.
Dubuque is in Iowa, where Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois would meet if the Mississippi didn’t divide them. This was and is, first and foremost, a river town. The mighty Mississippi is worked, revered and enjoyed here by locals and visitors alike.
Welcome to John McGivern's Main Streets, the podcast that takes you behind the scenes of this popular TV program. We're kicking off this podcast to give you more of what you love. Great stories about communities across the Midwest featuring actor and comedian John McGivern.