Skylight Luxury Lounge gives people ‘warm place to chill’

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 […]

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 adds 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 people who might become wine fans – will visit the new business because of its big 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 speciality, 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.”

But Skylight Luxury Lounge offers more than a wide variety of wines. Ms. Willingham said the business serves hard liquors and premium beers – and cocktails will come in the near future. Even though the lounge doesn’t have a full kitchen, there are food items offered, such as deli sandwiches, pizzas and charcuterie boards.  “Those (charcuterie boards) have been a big hit. I sold out just a few days ago,” she said. In the near future, Ms. Willingham may offer more food items or have food catered in for special events such as a Valentine’s Day celebration at the Skylight. There are also plans for a bourbon tasting night, a karaoke night, and live music at the wine bar. There is a stage at the Skylight that will be able to host shows, concerts and other events. “To me, this isn’t about the money. I am passionate about what I do,” she added. That passion for creating a wine bar has been in the works for the last five years. In the past couple of years, the passion started moving from the idea stages to reality when she got help from SCORE – the network of volunteer and expert business mentors dedicated to helping small businesses plan, launch, manage and grow.  She also gave credit to Tom Trone, SCORE Iowa district director, for his help in getting her business off the ground. In fact, Ms. Willingham offers this advice for those looking to start their own businesses: Get help from SCORE; and have a support team that will help you “and be honest with you.” Ms. Willingham’s support team is made up of members of her family. Her brother, Curtis Bell, was busy working at the Skylight during her interview Thursday, Jan. 5, with the QCBJ. “My family has a bond that is unbreakable. … He (Curtis) knows what I’m thinking just by looking at my face,” she said. That family support team is needed because, in addition to the working at the wine bar, Ms. Willingham also works at Arconic Davenport Works in Riverdale at nights. That has created a busy, tiring schedule for the new business owner, but she wouldn’t have it any other way because the Skylight is her dream come true. Even though family members have been a great support team to help keep that dream going, Ms. Willingham said she needs to find employees and is looking to eventually hire four bartenders and four servers.  “We are finally open. We can share my light with the world,” she added. For more information on the business, visit Skylight’s website or to its Facebook page.