Rocky Alum To Launch RIBCO 2.0 as Downtown Rock Island Rebounds
Zach Edwards is a Rocky alum, a fan of Rock Island Brewing Company (RIBCO), a supporter of adaptive re-use of historic buildings, and a cheerleader for downtown Rock Island’s rebound.
So the 2001 Rock Island High grad and financial advisor seems the perfect person to lead RIBCO into a new chapter in its long, illustrious history. Edwards recently bought the iconic bar/restaurant at 1815 2nd Ave., and plans to reopen it in mid-November, as part of a long-term plan to help revitalize the struggling downtown that’s made big strides to bounce back in the past two years.
“RIBCO is I feel the heart and soul of downtown, the pulse of downtown,” he said Friday. “I thought getting this can be the first domino that falls here to trigger a larger downtown redevelopment.”
“When I started looking at projects I could do, I was looking all over for ideas and landed on downtown Rock Island because it was a perfect overlapping of so many different interests of mine,” Edwards said. He hopes to redevelop the neighborhood, with so many other vacant buildings in the immediate area.
RIBCO is at 1815 2nd Ave., Rock Island, and closed in mid-December 2023, after 44 years in business (photo by Jonathan Turner).
He plans to be involved in improving downtown over the next two decades. He said former RIBCO owner Terry Tilka kept his place in good shape, so there’s not much interior renovation that needs to be done. Getting city liquor license approval is a long process, but they hope to reopen by Thanksgiving, ideally in mid-November.
“This is mainly going to be focused on live music and craft beer,” Edwards said, pointing to RIBCO’s rock-solid reputation for both. “We’re gonna have food, but a simple-ingredient bar menu food. It’s going to be high quality. Down the road, if we expand out, downtown would have a mix of not just bars that work. We need to have this work as a neighborhood” with a variety of uses, Edwards said. “All that stuff needs to be present for it to work as a neighborhood.”
He loves the history of RIBCO and wants to preserve it for the future.
“I see this more as a 25-30-year project,” Edwards said. “I’m just carrying the torch for however long I own it. I’m fully comm itted and invested in looking at this over a long period of time.”
“I really think the downtown is gonna have a lot of momentum here,” he said. “The city has been really good to work with so far, too.”
The view from the RIBCO entrance on 2nd Avenue, including the Star Cres building across the street (photo by Jonathan Turner).
The building dates from the late 19th century, and the original Rock Island Brewing Co. dates from 1893, when Littig and Co. and two other breweries merged to form Rock Island Brewing Co. The brewery operated until 1920, closing with the advent of Prohibition.
RIBCO has 14 beer taps and Edwards wants to feature QC breweries (and possibly from Iowa City). Before its closing in December 2023, RIBCO served great food and live entertainment since 1979. Edwards isn’t sure how many staff he’ll have, noting Tilka had about 30 employees, including college students.
The new owner is an independent financial advisor who works on Utica Ridge Road, Davenport (near Biaggi’s). Edwards graduated from Illinois State University in 2005 (double major in finance and insurance), and has worked for JP Morgan Chase, Waddell & Reed, and LPL Financial.
He was a member of Rock Island Kiwanis Club from 2011 to 2014, and is currently board chair for the Rock Island-Milan Education Foundation, and treasurer for the Rock Island-Milan Booster Club.
Edwards has very fond memories of going to RIBCO, for karaoke night, and to see bands like OK Go and Digital Underground.
An autographed photo of country star Kenny Chesney (photo by Jonathan Turner).
“I’ve seen a lot of shows here over the years, and a lot of my friends, we have good memories down here,” he said. He’s very interested in downtown redevelopment, historic preservation, adaptive reuse and walkable cities.
Edwards is working with a consultant (and fellow Rocky alum), Bryce Palar, a business professor at Knox College, Galesburg. He’s been doing work in helping hire a new general manager and head bartender. The men played football together; Bryce is a year older and was quarterback, Zach was right guard, and current Rock Island Mayor Ashley Harris was a running back.
On Sept. 25, the Rock Island Downtown Alliance held a Rebuild Downtown Rock Island Celebration on the nearby Green Lawn at 1801 2nd Ave.
The bar at RIBCO, with a wall of concert photos and posters from artists who have played there over the years (photo by Jonathan Turner).
The celebration marks the completion of the Rebuild Downtown Rock Island Project, a nearly $9-million investment funded with $3 million from a State of Illinois Rebuild Downtowns & Main Streets Grant; $3.9 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds; $1.5 million in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District funds; and a $267,000 State of Illinois Tourism Attractions Grant.
Improvements include:
- “Welcome to Downtown Rock Island” archway and sign across from Schwiebert Riverfront Park at 1st Avenue and 18th Street
- Total reconstruction and streetscaping of four blocks
- Decorative lighting and landscaping
- Renovation of Arts Alley, including the addition of two custom vendor stalls for pop-up activities and two large-scale murals
- Conversion of a former parking lot at 2nd Avenue and 18th Street into a green space for recreation and special events
- Ten sidewalk patio areas at existing bars & restaurants
- Rock Island block letters for photo opportunities
- Installation of a mini-roundabout at the intersection of 2nd Avenue and 18th Street
“We are proud and excited to officially unveil the largest investment in the infrastructure of Downtown Rock Island in a generation,” said Mayor Ashley Harris. “This project is a boost for businesses and further economic development in our downtown. The beautiful reconstruction project benefits our community through new streetscaping, public art, outdoor dining opportunities and spaces for gathering and holding events. Downtown Rock Island is the place to be.”
“We are excited to welcome Blue Collar Bagels in the former Daiquiri Factory space and a new owner of the former RIBCO building,” City of Rock Island spokeswoman Sarah Hayden said late Friday. “This new bagel and sandwich shop will offer an exciting new alternative for breakfast and lunch options in the downtown. With completion of the downtown and installation of the ‘Welcome to Downtown Rock Island’ archway sign, we are confident more new businesses will be opening in the near future.”
Lights illuminate 2nd Avenue between 18th and 19th streets on Oct. 3, 2025 (photo by Jonathan Turner).
A new bagel and sandwich shop – Blue Collar Bagels – plans to move into the long-vacant Daiquiri Factory space just down the street from RIBCO. Hayden said there’s no firm timetable for their opening.
Formerly overlooking the pedestrian Great River Plaza (now an open street with wide sidewalks), RIBCO hopes to bring back outdoor live music in 2026. Edwards is partnering with Kate Dale of Hive Consulting, to lead the booking of acts at RIBCO, including supporting local artists and being part of Alternating Currents next August.
The walls are covered with band photos, posters, and autographs, including from country star Kenny Chesney (from the ‘90s).
The new RIBCO general manager is currently bar manager at Sallie’s, 3737 14th Ave., Rock Island, who has worked as an event manager 10 years in Phoenix, Ariz.
New lights and welcome signs in downtown Rock Island are part of a near $9-million city project to revitalize the area, including reconstructed streets (photo by Jonathan Turner).
They plan to be open for lunch weekdays, as well as (new for RIBCO) breakfast on Friday-Sunday, with a Bloody Mary bar, “kegs and eggs” theme, and weekend brunches. They haven’t set on hours yet, leaving that to the GM and kitchen manager, and bar closing at 2 a.m.
“I like the idea of this being a fresh start down here,” Edwards said. He hopes to spur more investment in downtown residential, and generating foot traffic for more businesses downtown.
“Having more things to do down here is important, beyond just bars and restaurants,” he said. Edwards never planned to be a bar owner, and the first building he thought of purchasing is the Star Crest office building across the street (where Project NOW has moved to).
“I felt that was too intimidating of a project,” he said, noting with RIBCO, “I feel like I’m starting out on second or third base.”
The exterior of RIBCO, with the former Daiquiri Factory space at left, to house a new bagel and sandwich shop (photo by Jonathan Turner).
Edwards is looking forward to the new federal courthouse (1701 4th Ave.) being a great addition downtown, to open soon. “Obviously, you move the remaining people out of the (former) post office down here, and maybe that becomes available, and opens up a large parcel. You also have more people walking around downtown, for lunch and dinner traffic.”
Just a couple blocks west, the city has approved a planned $3.8-million development of the three-story, historic building at 1600 2nd Ave., which was formerly occupied by Sound Conservatory (until fall 2023). The city council in August approved a development agreement with Jeremy Moskowitz (chef at Duck City Bistro, Davenport) and two partners, who have bought the 1901 building and plan to redevelop it for a ground-floor restaurant and upper-floor market-rate apartments.
New RIBCO owner Zach Edwards, pictured Friday, Oct. 3, 2025 (photo by Jonathan Turner).
The QC Farmers’ Market moved into the newly renovated 1800 block of 2nd Avenue (from Schwiebert Riverfront Park), and has been scheduled to run from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday, through Oct. 25, on the new “festival street” that is closed to vehicle traffic during the market’s hours of operation.
Part of the interior of Rock Island Brewing Co., which expects to re-open in mid-November (photo by Jonathan Turner).
