‘Cozy’ downtown Rockford bar rebrands with nod toward former Magpie restaurant
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A downtown tavern has rebranded with a nod toward the former Magpie restaurant as it looks to establish a reputation as Rockford’s coziest gaming lounge.
The Crow Bar & Gaming Lounge, 315 S. Main St., is the new brand for the former Wood & Brick Tavern, which opened in March 2023 after months of renovating the old J-Bears Place. The new name reflects additions from Magpie, which closed in October, and connects with Yulia Avgustinovich’s floral bird mural on the south side of the building.
It should make finding the downtown pub easy for any out-of-town guests at the nearby Embassy Suites by Hilton Rockford Riverfront hotel, said Jeff Lindquist, owner of The Crow Bar. You just look out your hotel window “and follow the birds.”
Stephanie Caltagerone, who owned Magpie, joined Linquist in helping run the tavern after closing her restaurant at 126 N. Madison St. in downtown. The longtime couple rebranded the establishment late last month with a name that keeps in the same family of birds.
“The name change it ties in the Audubon Society mural of the endangered birds of Illinois, plus a magpie looking for its home.” Caltagerone said. “I think this will make it easier for them to find us and it will make more sense for them to relate the two.”
The Crow Bar is now home to Magpie’s private blend coffee, which is roasted locally by JavaMania. You can also get Magpie’s popular anti-aging mimosas and some of its other specialty cocktails with house-made syrups.
The bar also provides a free cup of Magpie house coffee for anyone playing at one of the four ME Gaming video slot machines, which are another addition. The Crow Bar is the first in the city to work with Midwest Electronics for its gaming, Lindquist said. He said they offer new games, phone charging stations and The Crow Bar has a gaming loyalty program. “It’s just the little things to make people comfortable and want to come back,” Lindquist said.
Nearby: Big Timber Axe Throwing chops the ribbon on its new downtown Rockford venue
The bar also expanded its hours, now opening at 11 a.m. Tuesday through Sunday. It doesn’t have a full kitchen, but there is pub-style pizza available for order and delivery menus for other local pizza places. Or you can order carryout from next door Ambiance and eat inside the tavern.
Lindquist said the goal is to be a “good, old-fashioned neighborhood bar with a chill vibe.”
“I think we brought in the coziness of Magpie,” Caltagerone said. “We intend to be the coziest gaming lounge.”
About | The Crow Bar
Where: 315 S. Main St., Rockford
Hours: Opens at 11 a.m Tuesday-Sunday; closed Monday. Closing hours are flexible but generally at 11 p.m. on weeknights and midnight on weekends.
On Facebook: Find them HERE
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
