WORDS & PICTURES Erik Reader Quietly perched in an unassuming third floor office in the Safety Building at 1800 3rd Avenue in downtown Rock Island sit two men overseeing four foundations that have had a philanthropic impact locally and throughout the region...
WORDS & PICTURES Erik Reader The fast success of the bridal and formalwear shop has led to a recent expansion of its storefront and exponential growth of the business. "I set the bar too high sometimes," exclaims Sheleigh Martin, owner of Celebrate. No,...
WORDS & PICTURES Downtown Rock Island Partnership The Shoppes on 2nd is a retail incubator located a 1700 2nd Ave. in downtown Rock Island. Many communities have created retail “incubators” as a means of nurturing new businesses, affording them the opportunity to...
So much of the national conversation regarding downtown revitalization topics these days is centered around making places for people. It seems like a simple enough thought on the surface, however, somehow we have gotten so far away from that approach...
By: Melanie Hansen This post was originally featured on The Ugly Iowan and is published with the permission of the author. “It’s the most unique fest going on in the QCA with a very left of center, diverse line-up… not aimed to...
Blue Cat Brew Pub still has the energy and excitement of a new restaurant after 24 strong years in downtown Rock Island. This is no more apparent than with yet another first-prize award during the Culinary Classic at the Riverside Casino...
Peer pressure can be positive, too, so a number of Rock Island community partners are banding together to encourage everyone to read over summer by launching the Rock Town Reads "Show Us Your Book" social media campaign. Summer is an...
One full year into his service as Alderman of the Fifth Ward, we caught up with the busy 29-year old who represents downtown and its historic near neighborhood areas. Now one year into your term as alderman, is it everything you...
Need a drink to beat the heat and chill out with this summer? The Daiquiri Factory's array of frozen adult beverages has just the right mix of ice and inspiration for your weekend in downtown Rock Island. Snag a seat out...
Contrary to popular belief or the movie "Saw," escape room games have little to nothing to do with being locked in a room or a life or death scenario. In fact, they are actually quite family-friendly and make for a...