Construction is rolling at the future Henry Dorrbaker’s in Beloit
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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BELOIT, Wis. — After dining at one of Geronimo Hospitality Group’s downtown restaurants a few years ago, Diane Hendricks issued a challenge to the president and CEO of the company.
What’s next?
Hendricks and Rob Gerbitz, president and CEO of Geronimo Hospitality and Hendricks Commercial Properties, think their latest development in downtown is the perfect answer to that question.
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Coming later this year to a vacant warehouse space at 605 Third St. is Henry Dorrbaker’s, a 20,000-square-foot pub and play venue that sets out to be an entertainment destination in downtown. It also provides an answer to that question of “what’s next” after dinner.
The venue will include duckpin bowling lanes, arcade games, a mini-golf course, Skee-Ball and a 5,400-square-foot outdoor patio with a stage, walk-up bar and space for yard games such as bags. There will also be a full kitchen and a bar that serves craft beer and cocktails.
Construction kicked off Wednesday with a “first roll” — the company’s take on a groundbreaking in which city officials and company executives threw a ceremonial roll of duckpin bowling.
The idea for Henry Dorrbaker’s was inspired by another Hendricks Commercial Properties tenant in Indianapolis called Pins Mechanical Co., which also centers its venue around the miniaturized version of bowling.
“I’m so proud of what Rob has come up with,” said Hendricks, the billionaire businesswoman and chairwoman of Hendricks Holdings Co. “It may be copying a little bit from Indianapolis, but we don’t care: When a wheel is great you use a wheel.”
The goal is to complete the renovation of the warehouse space near the Rock River in time for a soft opening in November, Gerbitz said.
“What we’re offering is going to be really unique to the entire region,” he said. “We’re really proud of the whole team and what they put together — it’s going to be something pretty special.”
The venue is named after Henry Dorrbaker, a prominent bowler and the owner of the city’s first bowling alley.
That alley, where Dorrbaker also lived, opened in 1899 in conjunction with a buffet at 426-428 State St., according to the Greater Beloit USBC Bowling Association.
Gerbitz said Geronimo Hospitality’s restaurants draw people from Rockford, Roscoe, Rockton and Madison, among other places in the region. He hopes Henry Dorrbaker’s will continue to draw people to Beloit.
“Hopefully this is additive and brings more people in,” Gerbitz said. “It’s probably going to be one of the better outdoor spaces right on the river.”
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This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas
