Our Muddy Roots

Mudrooms was inspired by a similar event in Anchorage, Alaska: Arctic Entries. Arctic Entries was inspired by Baltimore’s Stoop Story Telling Website.

People gathering on house stoops inevitably exchange stories. An arctic entry is Alaska’s equivalent to a stoop, but enclosed. A mudroom is synonomous with an arctic entry, just more casual, and the word is used more frequently in Southeast Alaska.

Mudrooms founder Amanda Compton, attended several Arctic Entries events before she moved from Anchorage to Juneau in May 2011. Amanda saw Juneau as a community ripe for an event that explores and shares the stories of its residents.

In early November 2011, Amanda enlisted Alida Bus, a born and raised Juneau resident. Amanda and Alida wanted to tip their hat to Arctic Entries, but adapt it to the much wetter Alaska capital city. “We’re not any less sophisticated than Anchorage,” they thought, “just a lot muddier.”

The premiere of Mudrooms occurred on November 30, 2011, at The Rookery Cafe. Close to 100 people packed into the café, and helped kick off Season 1 of Mudrooms with a strong start.

Mudrooms is now hosted at the Northern Light United Church, on 11th Street between A and B Streets.