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 acquire two complementary hospitality venues with all furniture, fixtures, equipment and build-outs in place, a substantial head start over building from scratch.

The masonry bar & restaurant, extensively renovated in 2019, showcases exposed brick, high ceilings, a distinctive rounded turret, inviting dining areas and a full basement with coolers, freezers and storage. Its vintage character creates an atmosphere difficult to duplicate!

Across the street, the beer garden features repurposed shipping containers, custom artwork, firepits and scenic canal views, drawing crowds for locally crafted beers, meads, ciders, acoustic/rock performances and seasonal events. Together, they form a one-of-a-kind indoor/outdoor drinking, dining and entertainment destination.

3 Options To Acquire:

• Buy The Business Assets: $99,000 plus new $6,500/mth lease; includes draft system, build-outs, FF&E and bar & restaurant trade name/goodwill (beer garden name does not convey)
• Lease Fully Equipped: $6,500/mth with landlord-owned FF&E included in the rent
• Buy The Properties: $850,000 with everything above included

Keep the current concepts or bring your own vision!

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 Mill Street dining and entertainment district. Starved Rock State Park, Illinois’ most-visited state park with ~2.4 million annual visitors, is just 1.6 miles away. Also near the I&M Canal State Trail, Starved Rock Lodge, Matthiessen State Park and Grand Bear Resort’s indoor waterpark.

Surrounded by popular restaurants, breweries, wineries, shops and August Hill Winery’s tasting room. In summer, Mill Street becomes a pedestrian-friendly outdoor dining destination, and October’s Burgoo Festival packs downtown. Easy access from IL-178 and I-80. Downtown retail vacancy recently hit 0%!

SqFt: 4,748 (4,448 Two-Story Building + 300 Outdoor Bar) + 4,004 Decking
Seating: 116 Indoor (16 Bar/45 Dining/55 Event) + 204 Outdoor (58 Bldg/146 Beer Garden)
Hrs: Mon/Thu-Sun 11a-8p; Fri-Sat 11a-10p; Beer Garden (Seasonal)
Owners Role: Absentee
Training: Negotiable on-site
Lease: $6,500/mth modified gross; terms negotiable; tenant pays tax/insurance increases over base year
Property: Landlord owned; Class C; zoned downtown C-1

Market Competition and Expansion:

A Destination Market With Strong Tourism Appeal

Historic Utica, backed by an established tourism economy, is the gateway to the Starved Rock region, attracting outdoor enthusiasts, weekend travelers, day-trippers and local residents seeking dining, craft beverages and entertainment.

Few opportunities combine a fully equipped historic bar & restaurant with a separate, established outdoor beer garden in the same downtown destination, making it rare and hard-to-replicate. The venues complement one another, pairing year-round indoor hospitality with seasonal outdoor gatherings, live music and events.

Two Venues, Multiple Revenue Opportunities

• Expand restaurant operations from 5 to 7 days, capturing additional weekday visitors
• Introduce breakfast, brunch, extended dining hours and tourist-focused seasonal menus
• Grow online ordering, takeout, packaged beverages and loyalty programs
• Host rehearsal dinners, corporate events, celebrations and group outings
• Maximize the beer garden with seasonal events, live music and private gatherings
• Cross-promote indoor dining, craft beverages and 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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