New sports bar opening in downtown Rockford, ice cream shop reopening across the street

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) – Entrepreneur Tom Minnihan opened Minni’s Ice Cream in 2023 at 211 Elm St., in downtown Rockford.

Business was steady, but he decided ice cream wasn’t the best use of the space. So, he moved the operation across to the street to Stewart Square where Ripe Life Juice was before it moved to Rockford Roasting Co.’s original spot at North Main and Mulberry streets.

After setting up at Stewart Square, Minnihan went to work converting the Elm Street space into Minni’s Bar, a sports bar with pizza that opens at 5 p.m., Thursday.

“It’s just a bigger space for a bar as opposed to an ice cream shop,” Minnihan said. “And the ice cream shop will probably suit us better over there.”

Minnihan and his son, Michael, also own Minnihan’s Pub just a block south in the William Brown Building. He says he’s ready for both bars to be open in time for the Rockford IceHogs to kick off a new season this weekend.

“We’ve got the big [IceHogs] block party coming up soon—Saturday,” he said. “So it should be a lot of fun over here.”

Neighbors say the move is a big step in the effort to bring more activity to the west side of downtown.

“There a lot of people on this side [of the Rock River] that need more people to come to this side,” said Aakash Patel, owner of Catina Taco in Stewart Square. “27 Aluna, Patrick does a great job with the food there. We’re here, Cantina Taco, we’ve been here a long time. And just having more spaces here will help push people this way a little bit more.”

Barber Quincy Quinones says while she is excited about Minni’s Bar, her clients—kids and adults alike— at Downtown Barbers are ready for ice cream.

“They want to get a treat afterwards, after they get their hair cut,” Quinones said. “It will be perfect, I think, especially with a restaurant right next door. They go hand-in-hand.”

Minnihan’s Ice Cream in Rockford is expected to reopen in Stewart Square within the next two months. The Minnihans also own a bar and ice cream shop in Genoa.

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