SPRINGFIELD, IL – A new business is trying a crack at downtown’s bar scene, hoping to make an impression and bring more faces to the heart of the capital city.
The Bus Stop plans to pull up to downtown Springfield in August.
Troy Minton and Zac Lowman are setting up the latest bar iteration at 430 E. Monroe St. filling the space left by Whiskey Jack’s, which closed following the St. Patrick’s Day parade in March due to health-related issues.
The Bus Stop is meant to be one of the first stops for tourists on historic Route 66 for a bite to eat and a taste of the local culture and live DJ music.
“The plan is open mic weekly, karaoke once a month so it just kind of depends,” DJ and bar manager Aaron Phillips said. “One thing we’re really pushing for is free birthday parties. You come hang with us; we give you the kickstart to your birthday.”
Working together and sharing the dream of one day owning a club, even if their reasons are different, both men are making their dream a reality and chasing it to the fullest.
For Lowman, his mom is his inspiration for owning a bar. Growing up in Springfield in the ’90s, Shirley Lowman worked at Ideal Drugs and bar; he shared it was always a dream of hers to own a bar of her own. Passing in 2022, Lowman never gave up doing something his mother would be proud of.
“It was always a plan to do one day,” Lowman said. “(After her passing) it was kind of a thing I always planned on doing as a promise to her as well.”
For Minton, a St. Louis native, he said the bar life back when he moved to Springfield in 2010 is apparent to him how much downtown has changed. By throwing his hat into the mix, he’s taking the reins on being the change he wants to see.
What’s on the menu?
A good club has to serve good food and the duo plan on eventually serving classic bar fare dishes, but won’t on opening.
Lowman said there is no kitchen in the building, so it’ll take time after opening to register proper permits, but the group intends to down the line to add food.
Cocktails will be fun, with tongue-in-cheek takes of classic drinks set to themes of the road, such as “Sex on the Bench” which is a take on the classic “Sex on the Beach”, with The Bus Stop’s version replacing rum with cognac. Along with cocktails, there will be craft beer from central Illinois breweries on tap.
The aesthetic of the place will match the love for bringing Springfield together with the urban artist style; black and gold isn’t just a color theme to the team, it’s what defines them from the rest with coordinated outfits down to the gold swoop of a pair of Nikes.
Live music
While the cracked doors at Dumb Records still fill the alleys with retro recordings and songs, the music scene near Gallina’s has been visibly quieter since the closure of Whiskey Jacks and Buzzbomb Brewery. The Bus Stop hopes to make some noise in the area.
The bar will have open mic nights on Tuesdays along with DJ nights and comedy nights. The team all have a love for music and DJing and are hopeful to bring back to Springfield a place for social interactions and meeting new people.
“We’re going to have some local theme stuff like maps and vintage to incorporate downtown Springfield,” Lowman said.
Hours
Minton says the liquor license application will be taken up by the city on July 17 and it will likely take state regulations a month after, so the duo expect a late August opening.
Once up and open, The Bus Stop plans on being the late trip to fun downtown, closing at the latest the city allows at 2 a.m.
From Tuesday to Friday, hours will be from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. but on the weekends the bar will be open noon to 2 a.m.
Claire Grant writes about business, growth and development and other news topics for The State Journal-Register. She can be reached at CLGrant@usatodayco.com; and on X (Formerly known as Twitter): @Claire_Granted
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: ‘The Bus Stop’ aims to drive music back into Springfield’s nightlife
Reporting by Claire Grant, Springfield State Journal-Register / State Journal-Register
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By Claire Grant, Springfield State Journal-Register | USA TODAY Network
