Janey's Lounge 1-year anniversary comedy show
What: Join Janey's Lounge as it celebrates one year of laughs, slots and late nights. It will mark its first anniversary with a comedy night featuring local stand-ups Joseph Christopher, Emilio Lopez, Joe O’Day, and special guest Luis Ramirez and Goose Gang.
Grab your friends, order up some of our crowd-favorite eats — crispy wings, cheesy pizzas, golden tater tots, and juicy tenders — and enjoy a night of non-stop laughs and good vibes. Come for the comedy, stay for the slots, food, and celebration.
When: 7-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10
Where: Janey’s Lounge, 6108 North Second St., Loves Park
Cost: $5
Harvey Wallbangers gives glimpse of new downtown Rockford spot ahead of September opening
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A new bar and restaurant set to fill the former Irish Rose Saloon opened for a pop-up event Friday to give patrons a glimpse of what's to come at the new downtown spot in the future.
Harvey Wallbangers, 519 E. State St., opened for drinks only at 8:15 p.m. on 815 Day, the city's annual celebration of civic pride. Owner Paul Sletten said it will give him a special and memorable anniversary date for Harvey Wallbangers in the future.
"I want my anniversary to be 815 Day," he said. "I'll get to add to the festivities."
Friday's event was just a one-evening peek at what's to come. Sletten expects the full opening to happen in early September.
For now, he's still finalizing the menu, which will be focused on quality pub food and simple appetizers.
The space still looks much like it did when it operated for more than 30 years as The Irish Rose Saloon. That's by design.
"When you come in here, you're going to look around and be like, it doesn't look that much different," Sletten said. "That's kind of what we want. We don't want it to feel like this big, new restaurant. We just want it to feel like this restaurant is live again."
Irish Rose opened in January 1990 and closed in February 2023 after co-owner Michael Liefheit fell ill. He died in February 2024 at age 78.
Brian and Megan Adams had their first date at the Irish Rose on April 22, 2011. They were married a little over a year later and had their reception at the next door Abreo, which Sletten also owns.
"The first time we were here we sat here and talked until the kitchen closed," Brian Adams said.
The couple returned to the space on Friday night to get an early glimpse at Harvey's. They said they were sad when Irish Rose closed, and worried about what it might become.
"My biggest fear was it was going to be one of those slot machine places," Megan Adams said. "We were thrilled when Paul bought it. We knew it would turn into something nice."
They were among small crowd who showed up shortly after 8:15 p.m. for an impromptu event that Sletten had announced on Facebook just about an hour before opening.
"It's just great to see it still be something, some place you can come back to, and something that the community can come back to and enjoy," Brian Adams said. "That's what it always was for us."
Before it was Irish Rose, the building was The Stop Tap and Ma’s Cafe, according to newspaper archives kept by the Rockford Public Library local history room. Its original history is as the home of Clark & Robinson Hardware Store in the 1870s.
Sletten purchased the property for $500,000 in May, according to documents filed at the Winnebago County Clerk & Recorder’s Office. It is his fourth restaurant in downtown.
He also owns Abreo, 515 E. State St., which is immediately adjacent to Harvey Wallbangers. His other restaurants are Social Charcuterie Bar & Cocktails, 509 E. State St., and Disco Chicken, which opened in July 2024 at 212 E. State St.
Sletten said he hopes it gives people another reason to visit downtown's Block 5.
"It's not the same, but it fills that same need for the block, for the city," he said. "I missed it. I missed having that place that was different from us at Abreo and Social and Disco. For me, a good downtown, a good area, has places that everybody wants to go for different reasons and at different times."
About | Harvey Wallbangers
Where: 519 E. State St., Rockford
Opening date: To be determined, target early September 2025
On Facebook: @harveys815
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
Photos: 815 Ale Fest draws sold out crowd to Tebala Event Center in Cherry Valley
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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CHERRY VALLEY — A sold out crowd of more than 500 people filled the Tebala Event Center on Saturday for the annual 815 Ale Fest.
The sixth annual festival is put on Mid-West Family Broadcasting radio stations — B103, 95.3 The Bull, 100FM and 104.9 The X.
This year's winners were:
- Best Brew: Urban Forest Craft Brewing
- Judge's Choice: Hairy Cow Brewing Co.
- People's Choice: Pig Minds Brewing Co.
Check out images from this year's event below:
Matt Hall of 104.9 The X talks with Jon Lambert of Hairy Cow Brewing Co. on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, at 815 Ale Fest in Cherry Valley. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
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
8th Ward Pub in Rockford features evolving cocktail menu, meals that cross between tapas and pub food
Rockford Restaurant Week Spotlight | 8th Ward Pub
Rockford Restaurant Week runs Jan. 23-Feb. 2, and we're putting a spotlight on different locally owned establishments to celebrate the occasion. Today we feature 8th Ward Pub, 3905 Broadway, Rockford.
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — The menu at 8th Ward Pub, a former 1960s-era filling station converted into a cozy sunlit barroom, defies what most have come to define as pub grub.
Forget the greasy bacon burgers and fries, and instead set your tastes on a menu that blends the line between tapas and upscale pub fare.
The pub, at 3905 Broadway just west of Alpine Road, prides itself on an evolving array of cocktails and a food menu that switches with the seasons.
"A lot of our customers thoroughly enjoy when we change the menu," said Alison Fuller, the pub's general manager. "We know when they're getting bored because they say, 'So when's the next one?'"
Related: 'A true foodie destination' | Rockford Restaurant Week kicks off 11-day culinary celebration
For Rockford Restaurant Week, the menu is changing again with appetizers such as the apricot prosciutto crostinis and entrees like the bacon and Brussels sprouts flatbread pizza.
"Putting Brussels sprouts on a pizza is not something you would normally think to do, but it's really good," Fuller said.
The flatbread, one of two entrees featured on its Restaurant Week Menu, is topped with bacon pepper jelly, mozzarella and fontina cheese blend, Brussels sprouts, bacon, red onion and balsamic honey glaze.
"The bacon pepper jam adds just that extra flavor to it," said Erica Wagner, head bartender. "You get a hint of it. It's almost like that sets first, and then cue the Brussels sprouts and all the other goodness in it."
The pub, which won for best cocktail or brew twice in past Rockford Restaurant Week awards, is serving a special blueberry pie martini for this year's Restaurant Week menu. For fans awaiting its arrival in the Rockford area, there will also be Yuengling on draft starting Monday.
There are also mocktails and non-alcoholic beers for teetotalers.
"We like to add things that are different," Wagner said. "It's out of the ordinary but it fits us."
The Restaurant Week menu also includes a cranberry brie grilled cheese on sourdough bread, whipped brie cheese dip and cheesecake from CheeseKake Ko. in Ashton for dessert.
"When one menu rolls out, we immediately the next day start thinking of our next menu," Wagner said. "It's not out of the ordinary for her and I to be texting at 4 o'clock in the morning, sending each other cocktail ideas. Just thinking of the next best thing, trying to get one step ahead of everybody else."
Fast facts | 8th Ward Pub
Here's a breakdown on what's being offered for Rockford Restaurant Week and the quick need-to-know information about the pub.
What's the special? 8th Ward Pub has a fixed price menu where you select one appetizer, one entree and a dessert or cocktail/brew for $35.
Restaurant Week menu: See it HERE
Location: 3905 Broadway, Rockford
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday
Opened: Aug. 6, 2020
Owner: Cathy Middleton
On the web: 8thwardpub.com
Facebook: @8thWardPub
Instagram: @8thWardPub
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
After taking a year to regroup, Ripe Life Juice Co. is ready for its comeback in downtown Rockford
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — If things had gone according to Jamar Luster's original plan, his juice and smoothie bar would have opened in its new downtown location at the beginning of the year instead of the end.
Luster had planned to open Ripe Life Juice Co. at 333 E. State St. near the start of the year, but was set back when costs to remodel the space and overhaul the plumbing came back higher than anticipated.
With his previous location already closed, Luster had no income coming in to handle the extra costs. So he did something he didn't plan to: He went back to work. First he took on expedited freight jobs and then he worked at a local hydraulic company so he could earn enough capital to pump it back into his business.
Now, he's back to renovating his space with a goal to open at the start of December.
He said the time away also gave him time to restructure the business, so he can be prepared with the proper inventory and equipment he didn't have when he made his first foray into business inside Stewart Square in 2021. That will mean fewer issues with running out of inventory during high demand, and new items on his health-centric menu.
In that way, Ripe Life's reopening isn't just a comeback — it's an upgrade.
"While I didn't want it to stop the way that it did, when I look back on it in hindsight I'm happy that I had to sit down for that year," Luster said. "When I open up now it's going to be all green lights and I'm ready to do it."
The fresh-squeezed juice and smoothie shop opened in September 2021 at 308 W. State St., which was previously Bella Luna Bakery inside Stewart Square. Luster closed that location in August 2023, initially planning to move into the old Rockford Roasting Co. at 206 N. Main St. in downtown. That plan fell through, and the space is now Hello Beautiful Flowers & Events.
He then found space next to Weekdays Social Club and The 662 Collective art gallery inside a building owned by a limited liability company tied to NBA star Fred VanVleet and his family.
"Everything I've been doing over this past year has been just to get Ripe Life open," Luster said. "Not everything planned out the way I hoped it would, but I had to keep trying."
Fans of the shop have been eager for its return, he said.
"It never stopped. Every single day, phone calls, messages, inboxes, I'm out in public and people stop me, 'hey man, what's going on? We need you, we need you,'" he said.
Ripe Life offers natural juices and creative smoothie recipes that never include added sugar. There are drinks to boost hydration and skin health, and anti-inflammatory items such as golden milk, which is made with turmeric, maca, cinnamon, goji berry, ginger, black pepper, boswellia, cardamom, coconut water and optional honey.
There are also açaí bowls, and Luster said he's planning on a few new smoothie options as well as weighing the possibility of vegan tacos.
"For me my main drive is trying to improve the overall health of the city," he said. "I feel like our people need this. There's not a lot of healthy options in the Rockford area. There are a lot of places that may offer some healthy options on the menu, but as far as having a place that you can go that is solely focused on health and wellness we don't have many of them."
The new location also has bigger refrigerators and more blenders, allowing Ripe Life to increase its ability to serve more customers.
"I was running the place down there with one blender," Luster said of his original location. "Now I have four blenders. It's a big step up as far as my output capability."
Ripe Life will also expand its hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.
"I'm just looking forward to serving people better with more consistency and more availability."
Follow for updates
On Instagram: @ripelifejuiceco
On Facebook: @RipeLifeJuice
Location: 333 E. State St., Rockford
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
After pilot year, Rockford looks to extend and expand downtown social district
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — After an initial test year for a new social district, the city is preparing to extend the program indefinitely and expand the boundaries where you can stroll between businesses with an alcoholic drink.
The social district, sometimes called an entertainment district, encompasses a few blocks downtown east and west of the river. It will expire Oct. 31 unless City Council opts to extend the program.
That sunset clause was put in place last year when the council approved the program so aldermen could evaluate whether it caused any issues.
The program allows you to take your drink to-go when purchased in a designated cup from a participating bar or restaurant. You can then bring it into participating retail stores to sip while you shop.
The city had modeled the program after places such as Raleigh and Greensboro, North Carolina, and Holland, Michigan.
"After one year in operation, we have not received complaints from any businesses related to the social district," City Attorney Nick Meyer wrote in a memo to aldermen. "We have not seen or heard complaints of increased littering or vagrancy resulting from the program."
The city said it has received requests from additional businesses to be included, namely Galaxy Salon, Subversive and The Union event space.
City Hall has proposed expanding the boundaries by about two blocks north on each side of the river.
Proposed boundaries
Current boundaries
The new boundaries are meant to encompass more of the walkable areas of downtown and include additional businesses.
"This creates a more natural boundary between Chestnut Street and Jefferson Street north and south," said Todd Cagnoni, city administrator.
The city also plans to change the hours of operation for the social district, making it 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days per week. Right now, the hours of the district are 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
"We haven't had any difficulties as a result of the creation of the program," Cagnoni said. "We do believe that it's sort of got off to a slow start and we'd like to maximize it a bit further."
Alderman Chad Tuneberg, whose 3rd Ward includes a portion of downtown, said he is in favor of expanding the boundaries. However, he said he is concerned about the change in hours during the workweek. He said he weighing whether to approve that part of the changes.
On Monday, the City Council's Code & Regulation Committee voted 3-0 to approve the changes put forward by city administration. It goes to the full City Council for approval next week.
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
Smoothie King opens first Rockford franchise, 2nd area location coming to Belvidere
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A national chain that was the first smoothie franchise to operate in the country now has its first location in the Rockford region.
Smoothie King opened Monday at 6274 E. State St., which is between H&R Block and AT&T in a commercial strip owned by First Midwest Group. A second area Smoothie King is slated to open in early August at 1890 Crystal Pkwy Ste 100, Belvidere.
More eat and drink: Family-owned taqueria Marrufo's Tacos opens in south Rockford
Smoothie King's history dates back to 1973, when co-founder Steve Kuhnau began experimenting with recipes in his home kitchen. Smoothie King became the nation's first smoothie franchise in 1989, according to the company's website.
It now operates more than 1,400 locations globally. A Sycamore couple is responsible for bringing the franchise here.
Smoothie King, as the name implies, specializes in smoothies made with blends of organic vegetables and whole fruits with no artificial preservatives, flavors or colors. It has vegan and veggie blends, as well as protein-packed smoothies to support muscle recovery and coffee blends if you need a pick-me-up.
The franchise also has smoothie bowls with a base of acai or pitaya topped with various fruit options.
The company was founded by Steve and Cindy Kuhnau and sold in July 2012 to SK USA Inc., which is led by CEO Wan Kim.
The privately held company operates its headquarters out of the New Orleans area.
About | Smoothie King
Opened: July 15, 2024
Where: 6274 E. State St., Rockford
Hours: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday
Online: Smoothieking.com
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
Easy Tiger brings cold drinks, warm summer vibes to Riverside Boulevard in Loves Park
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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LOVES PARK — Brent Beehler tried to stay under the radar with a soft opening of his new Polynesian fusion restaurant and bar with beach vibes.
The sign for Easy Tiger, 411 E. Riverside Blvd., had not yet been installed when Beehler held a soft opening event designed for 40 people a couple weekends ago.
More business: Rockford couple plans to transform former downtown shoe shop into cozy wine bar
But passersby noticed activity on the outdoor patio and began coming in. Easy Tiger ended up with roughly 300 patrons that night, Beehler said.
"The staff did awesome, and we just kind of rolled with the punches and made it work," he said. "It was really comforting knowing they could handle it. I have awesome people here."
Easy Tiger is now open for business, but it's not in its final iteration. Beehler, a relentless do-it-yourselfer who has handled much of the restaurant renovations himself, still has more improvements in mind. Among them is the installation of additional garage door-style openings in the back of the restaurant that will open to a future sand beach volleyball court.
The sand court, outdoor patio, tropical fruit-topped drinks and Hawaiian and Polynesian fusion recipes are all meant to deliver the feeling that you've stepped out of Loves Park and into a tropical setting.
"I don't want you to feel like you're in Loves Park or Rockford, or even Illinois or the Midwest," Beehler said. "People come in and they're like, I feel like I'm in Florida or California — I'm on vacation."
Beehler and Easy Tiger's head chef Kenny LaMendola have run a food truck with the same name since November 2021. The brick-and-mortar location is a progression of that business, with LaMendola taking concepts inspired by Beehler's Hawaiian roots to create menu items such as the Kahlua pig sliders. LaMendola's menu also features berry salads, chicken teriyaki, chicken coconut curry and Elote salad with Kahlua pork or other meat toppings.
You can top anything on the menu off with house-made Tiger Sauce, a sweet and spicy jalapeno-based sauce fitting for a variety of foods.
The restaurant's signature drinks are called Hula Dancers, and they can be served with alcohol or as mocktails. The drinks are served with a lemonade base and Torani syrup, topped with fruit and garden-grown fresh mint leaves.
More business: Lino's is creating a new indoor box market that brings together small businesses in Loves Park
A stage cut from a former shipping container will have sponsorship from Jim Beam, helping Easy Tiger bring in touring musical acts for live performances, Beehler said. The stage is at the western end of a new 2,500-square-foot cement patio with seating under umbrellas and a garage-style doors that open into the restaurant.
"It has a very free-flowing vibe," said Matt Risley, a Rockford resident who has been a customer at both the food truck and brick-and-mortar restaurant. "Cold drinks go well with sunshine and good vibes from Brent."
Beehler is also the owner of Brent’s Barber Shop, which just around the corner from the restaurant at 5611 N. Second St., and he owns a second Brent’s Barber Shop in Durand.
The basketball coach and father of four wants Easy Tiger to have a family-friendly atmosphere where parents can take their kids after sporting events.
The space was previously home to Jalapeno Taco Grill, Ojeda’s and before that Cafe 411 and Spring Garden.
Beehler said the new restaurant is still a work-in-progress as he completes the final renovations while welcoming his first customers. He expects additions such as the extra garage-style doors and sand volleyball court will be complete a little later this summer.
"The outdoor experience is great. It's great to bring yourself on a sunny day and soak in the rays with a nice drink," Risley said. "As good as it is today, we know it will be even better tomorrow and even better the day after."
Easy Tiger | Know before you go
Where: 411 E. Riverside Blvd., Loves Park
Hours: 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday; 8 a.m. to midnight Sunday
Facebook: Go HERE
Instagram: @easy.tiger.815
Contact: 779-210-2426
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
Rockford couple plans to transform former downtown shoe shop into cozy wine bar
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A local couple has purchased a roughly century-old building in downtown with plans to transform the property into a wine bar that delivers Rockford tastes from around the world.
Mark Podemski and Lucretia Ristin plan extensive renovations to the old Palace Shoe Repair and adjacent Downtown Shoes & Boutique, 204 N. Main St., for their yet-to-be-named wine bar concept. They expect to be able to open early next year.
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They envision a cozy setting where you can sit down with a glass of wine and charcuterie and chat with friends, perhaps before or after a downtown show. It will have service on two floors, with the cool basement space serving as a wine cellar with table seating and a look influenced by a cross between a French cavern and Italian grotto.
"We love to travel and we're going to go and find some amazing wines that we'll be able to bring back and just introduce to the community," Ristin said. "We want to try to bring the world back to Rockford."
Ristin was co-owner of Rockford Roasting Co. from its founding in 2014 until selling her ownership stake a year ago. The company built a community around freshly roasted coffee.
Now, Ristin and Podemski hope to do for wine what Rockford Roasting did for coffee.
"Rockford Roasting at one point really began to set bar again of what does good coffee look like, what does that experience feel like," Podemski said. "It's the same thing here."
The original Rockford Roasting Co. building, 206 N. Main St., is next door to the building the couple just purchased. Ristin still owns the property and it is available for lease. Rockford Roasting Co. now operates out of 416 S. Main St. at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Rockford Riverfront hotel.
Palace Shoe Repair closed in April 2021 after 95 years in business for the family-owned operation.
The shop was at 204 N. Main St. since 1958. It opened in 1926 on North Main Street next to the former Palace Theater, which was demolished many years ago.
Podemski and Ristin purchased the shop and next door boutique from the Giamalva family trust for $180,000 on June 11, according to records with the Winnebago County Clerk & Recorder's office.
They're now working with Studio GWA architects to complete designs for the space in hopes to complete renovations and open by the first quarter of 2025. Some of the work involves knocking down a dividing wall between the shoe repair shop and boutique, and removing a drop ceiling to take advantage of the 14-foot-high space.
The future wine bar is across the street from where Oliver Emerson Development plans to build 14 lofts with ground floor commercial space. The couple feels the new wine bar will add to the attraction of downtown living.
"People who live downtown want to be able to play downtown, they want to go out and eat downtown, they want to have a place to meet friends downtown," Podemski "That's the allure a lot of times of living in a downtown space, just walking to wherever you can go for fun and entertainment."
Podemski and Ristin have been together for 16 years, having met in Sweden while she lived there and he was visiting as part of his former role with the Rockford Area Economic Development Council. They also own Comfort Keepers, a business they bought about seven years ago that helps seniors with at-home health care and assistance.
While work to develop the space is ongoing, the couple is also pursuing their sommelier certification. But they said you won't have to be a wine connoisseur to appreciate the variety they'll bring to their future business.
"This isn't about high-end, necessarily," Podemski said. "It's really more about approachable and affordable but also great experiences."
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
The Music Box of Rockford is quietly welcoming guests as it gears up for a grand opening
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Kelly Steward and Miles Nielsen belted out a short but powerful performance Thursday night from the stage of their new downtown listening lounge.
But before the couple christened the stage, Nielsen delivered a declaration and a request.
Seated with an acoustic guitar in his lap, he first declared The Music Box of Rockford as officially open. Then he followed that with a plea to the packed house on hand for Thursday's private event: Don't tell too many people yet.
Related: Dairyhaus and Anderson Japanese Gardens team up with Miles Nielsen for new green tea ice cream
The new downtown small music venue and cocktail bar, 218 E. State St., is rolling out a series of soft opening events over the next few weeks as it fine tunes its operation in time for a grand opening this summer.
"We feel like the best way we can deliver quality is to take some baby steps with it," said Drew Gibson, who is part of the ownership team of The Music Box along with his wife Trea Mihalovich, Steward and Nielsen.
The Music Box will be open Friday night, but it's not yet in its final form. That will come with a grand opening near the end of June, when they'll start booking national recording artists for intimate shows in the 2,600-square-foot space.
"We've got some really great musicians who want to come here," Gibson said. "They're waiting for us to give them the dates and then they'll work their schedules and when they can swing through the Midwest to come here."
The Music Box is named as an homage to Ralph Nielsen’s Music Box Gift Shoppe, which Nielsen's grandfather ran on Seventh Street for roughly four decades until the late 1990s.
This iteration is designed to add to downtown's entertainment scene with a space that allows performers to connect with the audience in a cozy setting. There's room for roughly 70 to 80 people seated and approximately 175 standing.
Gibson and Mihalovich live in Phoenix, Arizona, but recently bought a home in Rockford, too, as they launch their new venture with Steward and Nielsen. The four met through music and forged a plan together to create the new venue.
"We wanted a safe, intimate place where the musicians can open up. Where they would feel comfortable maybe trying out new songs, or maybe telling little stories," Gibson said. "Sometimes a little pop-up like this can be a little more intimate."
The more than century old building went through extensive renovations before reopening with a Great Gatsby art deco interior theme. It previously housed The Midwest Rustic, which closed in late summer 2022.
The bar was handbuilt by artist Jeremy Klonicki, whose work also lines the walls of the venue. The sign, which has glowing lights that can flow with the music when a performer is on stage, was made by Klonicki and Tim Hawley.
Upstairs from the lounge is an Airbnb that will double as a space for performers to stay. Downstairs is a future green room that will be designed to give artists a comfortable off-stage home.
The goal is to book a range of artists from musicians such as Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, to Leigh Nash and Kevn Kinney from Drivin N Cryin.
Cover charges will range depending on the performer, but the goal is to make seeing a show accessible.
"Not everybody can afford to go see Pink or go see Aerosmith's final tour and spend $500 to $1,000 on tickets," Gibson said. "We want to make it reachable with quality."
There's still more work to be done before the grand opening, including the green room buildout and installing mosaic tiles with The Music Box logo at the lounge's exterior entryway.
The lounge also has a membership-based VIP club that allows early access to tickets and discounts on merchandise.
"Because of our size, I expect there will be a lot of concerts that we'll have to add a second night to because the first night is going to be all sold out VIP," Gibson said.
Gibson said he views The Music Box not as a competitor to but a partner with other downtown venues such as Carlyle Brewing Co. across the street, CJ's Public House, the recently reopened Oasis micro pub and the soon to open Disco Chicken, to name a few.
"We want to add and be a part of that. You've heard the saying less is more, I think sometimes more is more," Gibson said. "Getting a vibe down here and really celebrating live music in small venues."
About | The Music Box Rockford
Where: 218 E. State St., Rockford
Hours: 4 p.m. to midnight Monday; closed Tuesday; 4 p.m. to midnight Wednesday and Thursday; 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday
On the web: themusicboxrockford.com
On social: @the.music.box.rockford on Instagram; on Facebook go HERE
Contact: 815-986-7396; info@themusicboxrockford.com; booking@themusicboxrockford.com
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