Vonachen's Old Place; Peoria Institution no more

Beginning tomorrow the building at the corner of Knoxville and Prospect that was formerly VOP's will be razed, making way for a new development. VOP's closed on August 31, 2008 after nearly 52 years in business. For a short time it was known as Bud's Aged Steaks before reverting back to Vonachen's Old Place once again. There are many theories as to why the restaurant failed after so many years of success. I think the simplest of those would be that the novelty of dining in an old rail car finally wore off. Not to say that VOP's didn't have good food and a great atmosphere, I just don't think it had a customer base large enough to support the facility.

I remember eating there many times as a kid and I always made my parents request a table in the train car. It was a truly unique experience and it saddens me that someday if (god forbid) I have kids I won't be able to take them there. The train cars will be donated to the Wheels 'O' Time museum on N. Knoxville, just south of the Lake of the Woods shopping center.

For a short time in the fall of 2007 I worked at VOP's busing tables. I can say that it was a good experience. The staff was like family and the regular customers were very polite. I'm glad to say that I spent some amount of time in what will now be a part of history.

The positive side of this story is that now, the owners of Junction City can pursue other opportunities and bring in a business (or businesses) that might draw more people to the area. With the recent renovations taking place in the shopping center, I don't think anyone is surprised at this news but it is sad nonetheless. Whatever business occupies the lot where Vonachen's once stood I hope is a success. The owners of Junction City, Alexis and Elizabeth Kazzaam have done a great job in restoring the shopping center and attracting new businesses and this is undoubtedly a step in that direction.

While the majority of my memories of VOP's are good ones there is one that is not. I was working there until close on the night of Saturday October 6, 2007. Not ringing any bells? This was the night that, after an 85 win season (and the first of Lou Piniella's tenure as manager), the Chicago Cubs were swept out of the playoffs by the lowly Arizona Diamondbacks. Thus, crushing any hopes that the Northsiders would not go 100 years without a World Series Championship. It was not to be. I'll never forget standing in the bar with the cook, who was also a huge Cubs fan watching Jose Valverde pitch to Alfonso Soriano who promptly hit a pop fly to right field on an 0-2 pitch. I was crushed. But as a Cub fan that's a feeling one becomes accustomed to. Now when someone asks me where I was on that fateful night, I can say "a place that no longer exists". Cheers to Vonachen's Old Place and cheers to believing that someday we'll go all the way.

The Northeast Adams Stretch: Amy's Anchor Club (Now Veteran's Pub and Pizza)

Amy's Anchor Club is located at 2525 NE Adams St. in Peoria. You can only see the sign if you are driving towards downtown as it hangs above a window on the northeast side of the building. When my two friends and I walked in, there were some odd looks, I'm guessing this was because we were the only white people in the bar. The only special that night (this past Saturday) was MGD 64 for $1.50. I've never had one and I heard they suck so I ordered a tall blonde. The Miller High Life cost me 2 bucks and PBR's were the same, no drafts, bottles only.

The bar was really nice; a couple of flatscreens, lots of blue lights, and of course, nautical decorations. There is a kind of half wall seperating two pool tables from the bar area. Up against this wall on the bar side is a shuffleboard table. I asked the bartender for the pucks and my friend and I started to play with the rules he learned at The Illinois State University. In the other room with the pool tables, there was a DJ (or maybe just some guy who works there) playing music from his laptop. Now, normally I'm not usually a fan of having no say in what is being pumped through the sound system but this guy had some good picks, mostly old soul, R&B, and blues. Also on the "pool side" was a table with some crock pots, apparently somebody was having a pot luck.

Side note: at least Notre Dame lost to a ranked opponent this week, but losing to a team coached by Dave Wannstedt always hurts.

After watching ND lose and losing my first game of shuffle, something interesting happened. A few people in the bar turned around in their barstools and started watching our second game. Eventually, a guy approached me and asked how to play. It was then that I realized that apparently, shuffleboard is a white guy's game and never looked interesting enough until my freinds and I started getting competitive and talking shit to each other. So, I obliged this guy (who I'll call Dre) and we started playing, it didn't take long for him to catch on and he eventually beat me 15-13. He then showed his girlfriend how to play and she beat him. Ahhhh, the circle of life. Not to say that no one in Amy's knew how to play shuffleboard prior to Saturday night but I think at least a couple of folks in there got hooked. Maybe the next time I go to Amy's, people will be gathered around the shuffleboard table instead of the pool tables.

The most unique thing about Amy's are the bathrooms. There are no sinks in either bathrooms but a common sink sits just outside of them. This way, everybody knows if you use the john and don't wash your hands afterwards. Also, they are the cleanest bathrooms I have ever seen in a dive bar or any bar downtown for that matter.

As we were about to leave, Dre asked me if I wanted to join him in enjoying a "cigar". As we were enjoying this fine Jamaican stogie, we watched a State cop who had pulled someone over and was lining up beer bottles on the curb....ouch.

Amy's Anchor Club seems like a fun place. It is definitely the most lively place I've been to on the NE Adams Stretch. Cheap drinks, good times can be had at Amy's.

Update: It seems that Amy's has closed. For the past three Saturdays or so, the bar has been closed at night. Not sure if it is temporary or permanent.

Update II: The past few times I have driven by, it looks as if people are working inside. Amy's may be getting ready to re-open.

Update III: The sign bearing the anchor club logo has been removed, the building next to Amy's has been completely torn down. On the roof there are now several military related flags flying and a temporary sign reads "Guess Who's Coming Back?", or something like that.
Update IV: There's a new sign on top of Amy's it reads "Veterans Pub and Pizza Coming Soon". Sounds like I'm going to have to add a "Gone But Not Forgotten" tag to this post.
Update V: Amy's has changed hands and is now Veteran's Pub and Pizza, will provide a new review eventually.