Just outside the new Skylight Luxury Lounge wine bar in Rock Island is a green awning with this phrase printed on it: “A warm place to chill.” Skylar Willingham, owner of the lounge at 1325 30th St., is hoping people take that phrase to heart and will visit her wine bar, which opened for business […]
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Just outside the new Skylight Luxury Lounge wine bar in Rock Island is a green awning with this phrase printed on it: “A warm place to chill.”
Skylar Willingham, owner of the lounge at 1325 30th St., is hoping people take that phrase to heart and will visit her wine bar, which opened for business on Saturday, Dec. 31.
“I want people to come here and feel at home. … I want them to relax after work. I want them to unwind after work,” she added.
Ms. Willingham said the Skylight is off to a fast, busy start. She has had many customers and positive comments from the community since opening.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held shortly before the New Year’s Eve opening with many Rock Island city, community and business leaders attending the event. “Thank you so much for investing in our city,” Fourth Ward Alderwoman Jenni Swanson said during that ceremony.
The Skylight Luxury Lounge, located in the building that was the home of Cool Beanz Coffeehouse, is at the busy intersection of 30th Street and 14th Avenue. It is next door to The Artsy Bookworm gift shop and across the street from Fred & Ethel’s antiques shop.
Its hours are: Tuesdays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. on the weekends.
Ms. Willingham said she hopes wine fans — and those who might become wine fans — will visit the new business because of its wide variety of white, red and rose wine offerings.
Her wine menu gives a description of the wines and even a little history. Here are some examples:
- Trullo Riesling ($11 glass/$28 a bottle). “Trullo Riesling is named after the traditional stone dwellings built by vineyard workers in Rheinhessen (Germany) in the 1800s. This is the perfect “Goldilocks” Riesling — not too sweet, not too dry.”
- Carisma Sweet Syrah ($11 a glass/$30 a bottle). “Made from 100% Syrah, Carisma Mendocino Syrah has floral aromas of violets and lavender that are the flavors of sweet red berries and the slight ‘zippiness’ of bubbles.”
- Garofoil “Komaros” Rosato ($14 a glass/$40 a bottle). “Rosato wines are an Italian specialty, and Montepulciano is considered one of the best Italian grape varieties for Rosato wines.”
- Domaine Sonoma Chardonnay ($10 a glass/$28 a bottle). “Aromas of citrus and pineapple lead to juicy tropical flavors of mango, meyer lemon and honey finishing clean and bright.”
