07/28/2026
Woot!!!
FROM THE WINY RADIO NEWSROOM: THE STOMPING GROUND IN PUTNAM IS EXPANDING: Terry Paquette had a vision for Putnam 14 years ago. “I wanted to offer live music to the community in a way that I hadn’t seen around here before. I felt like we needed a local spot where everyone could gather and play and I also wanted to bring regional and maybe even national acts to the area.”
Fourteen years later, The Stomping Ground
is firmly rooted as a thriving, go-to spot in downtown Putnam and owner Terry Paquette is ready to expand into the former August and March space which is located right next door.
“We’re looking to expand and create another dining room for The Stomping Ground. We want to give people more space and a room away from the music because often people complain that they can’t talk to their friends while the bands are playing. The expansion will add more seating, an extra bathroom and space for private events. We’ll be able to do Christmas parties and company events. It’s a great step forward for us.”
Paquette says it will be an easy build-out. “We’re getting the keys to the space at the beginning of August and hopefully, the new space will be open by the end of August. There’s minimal work to be done, just a little bit of painting and moving the furniture in there. It should be a quick transition.”
The expansion space is 1650 square feet total which will include a bathroom and work space.
“This has been a dream for 14 years. I actually held the lease on the space in 2012 and was subletting to String Tinkerers with the idea that if they didn’t want to keep the space, we would take over. But, when they left, financially it wasn’t feasible and now the opportunity has returned and we are ready to expand”, said Paquette.
The Stomping Ground has built a loyal following with a consistent line-up of music, six days a week, creative and interesting food offerings and a very friendly and professional staff. Paquette says he enjoys the reaction from first-time visitors to the Stomping Ground. “The most common feedback we get is that when they walk in, they feel like they just went on vacation, like they ended up in New York or Chicago or San Francisco or even Istanbul as one person recently told me. And that’s the goal,” said Paquette. “I found a place in Santa Fe one time that gave me the same vibe as The Stomping Ground. It’s really exciting and it’s great to see people’s faces and reactions when they see what we’re doing here.”
We asked about his vision 14 years ago. “It sounds cliché, but I was thinking, ‘If you build it they will come’. In 2012, I said we’re going to open a music venue and worst case, if it’s not accepted as a music venue, we’ll be a bar and restaurant. But, music has endured for almost 14 years and we’ve had a show almost every night that we have been open, except during the pandemic.”
Thank you Terry Paquette and the Stomping Ground for adding the spice and the flavor to our amazing downtown Putnam. We look forward to your expansion and wish you continued success.
To learn more about The Stomping Ground and to see their extensive live music calendar, please go here: https://the-stomping-ground.com
Photo: WINY Radio: Stomping Ground owner Terry Paquette
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