Indigo Lounge and Event Space

 Indigo Event Space and Lounge had its ribbon cutting on Oct. 1st . Nice looking facility with a bar, small stage and a one table pool room. Look as if their primary focus will be on booking receiptions, birthdays, parties, etc. with the lounge aspect a secondary focus. The big problem, I see, is the same problm that has plagued all of the busiensses that have opened in that location over the past decade:  lack of parking. Bistro 51 delt with the problem successfully by offering and promoting their valet parking, which also served to enhance the image of the business. Curbside tried the same thing but not as successfully  and the Icebox had an arrangement with the Methodist church across the street to use their parking lot when the church was not using it. . Probably working out some sort of lease arrangement with the church is the best way to assue parking for Indigo's clientile.

Icebox

 What used to be known as Curbside and the Icebox, and House of LEisure which never opened, as far as I know, is under renovation. The building sites in the 200 block of West Main was a gym and a car dealership at one time, but has been a restaurant the last 4 times it has opened.

The problem with the location is that it has no parking. In the past, they arranged for parking in the church lot across the street and/or offered valet parking. hopefully they can work out something for people to park close by.

Curbside

The owner of the building that housed Curbside, and before that Icebox, apparently has finally give up on reopening the business as there is now a (falling off) "For Rent" sign taped to the awning. Under the sign is another name, so apparently someone else planned to open a business in there but never managed to get the door open, just a name painted on the awning.

Liquor Control Commission

The Liquor Control Commission meets next Tuesday at 7 p.m.  On the docket, a Fair Days request for the Southern Illinois Irish Festival next October and two liquor license applications, one for the Premier Lounge, going in eventually at 104 West Jackson, where Big Boy's Q'in used to operate, and one for the Icebox Bar and Grill.  The Premier Lounge is applying for a B2 license, which allows all of its revenue to come from the sales of alcohol, including wine, while the Icebox seeks an A2 license, which says 51% of the revenue must come from food sales and allows the sale of all alcohol.  The other difference between the two is that an A2 license allows patrons under the age of 19 in the establishment as long as a full menu is offered.  If the restaurant offers less than its full menu , i.e. only appetizers,  at any time, that waiver vanishes.

According to Kevin Kirkwood, owner of the Icebox, he submitted his application for an A2 license early this spring, only to be told by Mayor Cole that Cole would sit on the application until after the election, leaving it up to the next council to act upon it, which I guess they will, next week.

Icebox Bar and Grill

Sat in on a meeting Lance Jack and Meghan Cole (of Carbondale Main Street) had with Kevin Kirkwood, the owner of the Icebox Bar and Grill, today. Got some background on Kirkwood and the bar/restaurant's operation. Christopher is an A.J. graduate from SIUC and owned the Urban Wear store located on West Walnut (where Sew a Lot is now) for a couple of years. He also owns the Illusions barber shop next door to that location. He rented the Spotlight Bar and Grill building (owned by Laurel Weiderman) last October and has slowly been working remodeling it along with his partner Bryan Blackburn, funding the remodeling out of his savings. Opening day is scheduled for tomorrow, Feb 18th. The Icebox does not have a liquor license yet, though one has been applied for, and Kirkwood says he has been told the city will not take action on it until after the upcoming elections. The business carries both dram shop insurance (thought it cannot currently sell liquor) and $2 million in liability.

Hours of operation are 11-2 and 4 p.m. to 2 a.m, with only appetizers served after 10 p.m. Specialty of the house is wings with an assortment of hot sauces. Christopher says his hot sauce selection will start where Buffalo Wild Wings ends. One of the cooks at the Icebox is the former owner of the Spotlight, a good chef but not a great businessman. The other staff consists of 3 additional cooks, 4 waitresses and 5 security. SIUC RSOs will be able to rent out part of the restaurant for events for $900, fro 10 p.m to 2 a.m., with only people with an SIUC ID allowed to attend and no liquor (or even gum) allowed. Customers will have to park in the limited parking at the restaurant or city parking lots. He plans on stationing one security person by the Verison/ Frontier parking lot to direct customers to park in an approved parking space.

Regarding the murder that took in the Verizon parking lot place after an event at the Icebox, Kirkwood says it took place after a wing eating contest at the restaurant and that a number of participants in the fight were people who had not been allowed entry into the restaurant. I have heard from other sources that the event was extensively advertised throughout Carbondale via Facebook, Twitter and flyers. According to him, a number of people had parked cars in the Verizon and when trucks showed up to tow them, tempers flared and the fight broke out, involving both people exiting the restaurant and those who had not gained admission. Since the fight was not on his property, he told his security not to get involved and called the police immediately.

Since the night of the murder, he has run approximately 8 more events, all from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. with no fights and only one argument between a couple of women. The police have showed up during most of those events but have not cited the business for any violations, at least none that I have found reported by the Carbondale Police. The events have been pretty quiet as I have only noticed one taking place about 2 weeks ago.

IceBox Bar

Apparently the Spotlight Bar and Grille in the 200 block of West Main has quasi reopened as the Icebox and is hosting after hours parties again. Just an accident waiting to happen.