Bourbon Street Lounge in Rockford to close after more than 2.5 years in business
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Bourbon Street Lounge, a restaurant and bar that evolved from the former RBI Bar and Grill, will close after more than 2 1/2 years in business.
Owners Dave and Toby Prochnicki announced plans to close Tuesday morning in a post on Facebook. The kitchen will close at the end of Tuesday, but the bar will remain open through Sunday. Dave Prochnicki said in a video on Facebook that the business’s mobile bar would remain available for events and parties.
“It’s been an honor and a privilege serving all the community that’s come in here. I’ve built so many great friendships. All that will be what I miss the most,” Dave Prochnicki said in the video.
The couple took over ownership of the former RBI Brunch Bar, 3870 N. Perryville Road, in April 2023 and transformed it into Bourbon Street Lounge. The new concept built off the popular brunch while adding dinner and a new-look lounge.
RBI Bar and Grill had opened in November 2005 under the ownership of local restaurant and hospitality entrepreneurs Andy Roiniotis and Denny Trakas. They took over the former Varsity Diner, which had closed six months after opening in 2004.
The business partners had owned several restaurants and bars, but sold three of them in 2021 them as they built the Rock’n Vodka brand. They rebranded RBI Bar and Grill as RBI Brunch Bar in early 2022 before selling the business to Prochnickis in spring 2023. The Prochnickis then remodeled the space, initially keeping RBI Brunch & Dinner as part of the name before rebranded as Bourbon Street Lounge.
The RBI initials stood for Restaurant Bar Ice Cream. It was a play on runs batted in, a nod to the sports theme of the original Varsity Diner.
“Come help us drain our inventory. We’re running some crazy drink specials while we’re open,” a Facebook post announcing the closure reads. “We will miss all of you! Come see us one last time!”
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
