Turnkey Landmark Bar & Restaurant + Beer Garden

Business Overview:

Turnkey Landmark Bar & Restaurant + Beer Garden - Downtown Utica, IL!

“Historic 1874 Freestanding Building With Full Bar/24 Taps/Commercial Kitchen/Upstairs Event Space + Outdoor Hospitality Venue With Bar/Stage”

Rare opportunity to own or lease two complementary hospitality venues in historic downtown Utica, just 1.6 miles from Starved Rock State Park, Illinois’ most-visited state park with ~2.4 million annual visitors!

The landmark masonry corner building, formerly a longtime neighborhood tavern (Duffy’s), was extensively renovated in 2019 and features exposed brick, high ceilings, a distinctive rounded turret, inviting dining areas and a full basement with coolers, freezers and storage.

Across the street, the canal-view beer garden showcases repurposed shipping containers, custom artwork, firepits and varied seating, a sought-after destination for locally crafted beers, meads, ciders and acoustic/rock performances. A one-of-a-kind indoor/outdoor destination; keep the current concepts or bring your own vision!

3 Options To Acquire:

• Buy The Properties: $850,000 - both properties, draft system, build-outs, FF&E and bar & restaurant trade name/goodwill (beer garden name does not convey)
• Buy The Business Assets: $99,000 - both properties, draft system, build-outs, FF&E and bar & restaurant trade name/goodwill (beer garden name does not convey)
• Lease Fully Equipped: $6,500/mth modified gross, landlord-owned FF&E included

Listed by Brian O’Kelly and Ted Aretos at EatZ & Associates/EatZ Real Estate Group LLC

Contact the Seller:

To request more information regarding this listing, simply check the ADD TO REQUEST INFO BASKET button (above Quick Facts) and when you are done searching and have made all your selections, simply click on the REQUEST FREE INFO button at the bottom of this page.

Property Features and Assets:

Both high-visibility corner properties sit in Utica’s vibrant Mill Street dining and entertainment district, steps from the I&M Canal State Trail and surrounded by popular restaurants, breweries, wineries and shops, including August Hill Winery’s tasting room.

Nearby draws include Starved Rock Lodge, Matthiessen State Park and Grand Bear Resort’s indoor waterpark. In warmer months, Mill Street becomes a pedestrian-friendly outdoor dining destination, and the annual Burgoo Festival brings extra crowds each October. Easy IL-178 and I-80 access. Downtown retail vacancy recently reported at 0%!

SqFt: 4,748 (~4,448 sqft Bldg w/Basement + 300 sqft Bar Structure; 4,004 Decking)
Seating: 116 Indoor (16 Bar/45 Dining/55 Event) + 204 Outdoor (58 Bldg/146 Beer Garden)
Hrs: Mo/Th/Su 11a-8p; Fr-Sa 11a-10p; Beer Garden Seasonal
Owners Role: Absentee; 2-3 FT & 7 PT employees
Training: Negotiable on-site
Lease: $6,500/mth modified gross; tenant pays tax/insurance increases over base year
Property: Owned; 0.06 + 0.12 acres; C-1 zoning; 2025 taxes $12,074

Market Competition and Expansion:

Historic downtown Utica is an established destination for craft beverages, dining, shopping and entertainment, with surrounding regional attractions generating customer demand extending well beyond the local residential population.

With limited available commercial real estate, this offering’s two complementary hospitality properties provide an unusual opportunity to establish a substantial presence in one of Illinois’ most popular tourism districts and capture its significant visitor traffic.

Two Venues - Multiple Revenue Opportunities:

• Expand restaurant operations from 5 to 7 days a week, capturing additional weekday visitors
• Introduce breakfast, brunch, expanded dining hours & tourist-focused menus for park visitors
• Expand online ordering, takeout, packaged beverages & loyalty programs
• Host rehearsal dinners, corporate events, celebrations & group outings in the upstairs event space and beer garden
• Maximize beer garden operations with seasonal events, live music & private gatherings
• Cross-promote indoor dining, craft beverages & outdoor entertainment between both venues

Reason for Selling:

Has other business interests and cannot devote the time/attention it deserves. Kindly ask the seller for more information.

Additional Details:

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