County of pub: Warren County
Location of pub: W. 1st Ave., Historic Woods & Hallam Bldg, Monmouth
"Sometimes, in life, you just have to go for it. At age 33, Monmouth native Marcus Doyle has teamed up with Ron Lehnen as co-owners of 1st Avenue Lounge (next to Italian Village).
They officially opened Monday and are planning a grand opening in the near future. “I think we have one of the nicest spots in town and plenty of room,” Doyle said. “I always enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere and there never seemed to be any drama here. I just wanted to get opened and work out the other little details.”
The bar, which was formerly known as First Avenue Pub, has gotten a total makeover. They spent the past five months putting in a new floor, a new ceiling and even the walls have been redone with new drywall. There is an artistic theme of Las Vegas when you walk into the bar with five poker machines available and comfortable chairs at each station.
They do offer ice-cold mugs for their beer with an assortment of snacks — popcorn, peanuts and pretzels. Plus, they have three new televisions (60-inch, a 42-inch and a 40-inch).
The hours are 9 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to midnight Sunday.
“If we get the morning crowd, we can have boxes of doughnuts and coffee,” Marcus said.
Doyle, a 2001 graduate of Monmouth High School, went on to graduate from Southern Illinois University and majored in Hotel Restaurant Management. Now, he’ll get to use that expertise in the bar. And beyond that, Doyle gained valuable experience working for his brother (Andrew) five years at Italian Village.
Lehnan, meanwhile, is a community-driven individual. He ran the Dairy Queen for 15 years and the local car wash. He’s also been a family friend of the Doyleses’ for 12 years. “It’s a good opportunity,” Lehnan said. “It keeps people in town instead of going to the riverboat, and it is good for the economy. It’ll be a nice, clean bar for gaming. It is the only one in town like it.”
Chrissy Stuart will serve as lead waitress. She has lived in Monmouth the past 30 years. “I’m excited about my new job career,” she said. “I used to come in here before. It’s a nice atmosphere and is completely different than what it was. I think they should come and see a friendly face.”' ~ The Register-Mail, Galesburg, IL., by Jeff Holt, October 5, 2016