Cherry street opened in 1984. It is actually one building made up of three different buildings which originally had separate addresses and businesses, beginning in 1897 for two of the buildings and 1904 for the third. When the Carmody brothers purchased the three buildings in 1984 and opened Cherry Street Brewing Company as one business, the buildings were numbered as 47 and 57 (even though it included the middle building, 55.)When Kit Wilcox bought the business from the Carmody’s in 1989, it was a bar that served food. Kit and Jim Carter transformed it into a restaurant / bar, with a 50/50 mix of food and beverages.
In 1991 they opened the Bier Garten in number 47. The Bier Garten is a 3-season room open to the outdoors, but with a roof. Kit took the windows out and put in sky lights. There is a party / event room on the first floor in the northern most building, which has been recently renovated into The Safari Lounge, a bourbon bar.
St Patrick’s Day – Kit and Jim Carter organized the first St. Patrick’s Day parade in 1990. Holding it on the Sunday closest to St. Patrick’s day, Cherry Street would serve a big breakfast with live Irish music as entertainment. The first year it proudly had 6 vehicles – but eventually has grown to be as large and successful as the Christmas Parade.
Kit’s Original Mud – In 1989 Cherry Street Brewing Company started selling Kit’s chili cheese dip. Patrons enjoyed it on their food and ordered it to take it home with them.
Prior to being Cherry Street Brewing Company, buildings #55 and 57 were a pizza restaurant. #47 was originally a grocery store. The upper floors were rented out as living quarters.
Finally in 1994, Kit Wilcox sold Cherry Street Bar so that he could be more involved with his children’s’ activities as they started high school.
There are three buildings which make up Cherry Street Brewing Company.
| Years | Number | Occupant | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1875-1876 | 47 | William O’Nelson [residence] | ||
| 1897-1908 | 47 | "Gust Henderson’s Billiard Hall—Pool & Cigars" | ||
| 1907-1920 | 47 | Joseph P. Quigley plumbing & gas fitting [moved from 53] | ||
| 1922-1938 | 47 | Hiles [& Cordell] Lunch Room a/k/a Hales G Hiles Lunchroom | ||
| 1939-1944 | 47 | Vacant | ||
| 1946 | 47 | George A Woodward Photography, Horace B Ramsey Novelty movedanufacturer | ||
| 1949-1954 | 47 | Art-O-Lite Co. Inc. electric contractor | ||
| 1956-1965 | 47 | Foster’s Radio & TV Services [ & Eddy’s TV 1961-1965] | ||
| 1966-1967 | 47 | Vacant | ||
| 1967-1971 | 47 | Dave’s Bike Shop Sales & Service | ||
| 1972-1975 | 47 | Best Buy Office Furniture | ||
| 1976-1977 | 47 | Amy’s Academy of Gymnastics | ||
| 1977-1980 | 47 | Family Fun & Game Center | ||
| 1981 | 47 | Village Recreational Center | ||
| 1982 | 47 | Vacant | ||
| 1983-1985 | 47 | Harley’s Barn Motorcycle Sales & Service | ||
| 1985-present | 47 | Cherry Street Brewing Co./Cherry Street Restaurant | ||
| 1870-1882 | 49 | Charles Selk [residence] he was a boot & shoe mfg. | ||
| 1873-1874 | 51 | F.A. Shull [residence] | ||
| 1897 | 51 | JP McCaffery [residence] | ||
| 1898-1903 | 51 | Stairway | ||
| 1904-1905 | 51 | Gus C Rausch cigar factory | ||
| 1907-1920 | 51 | Stairway | ||
| 1926-1927 | 51 | Stairway | ||
| 1928-1938 | 51 | Joe or Cecil Wong [residence] | ||
| 1939 | 51 | Vacant | ||
| 1941 | 51 | WPA [work shop for “Work Projects Administration under Pres. FDR] | ||
| 1943-1946 | 51 | Vacant | ||
| 1949-1950 | 51 | Lloyd J. Cedatol [residence] | ||
| 1949-1950 | 51 | Leonard Armstrong [residence] | ||
| 1951-1952 | 51 | Dale E. Kendrick [residence] | ||
| 1951-1952 | 51 | Mrs. Olive LaForce [residence] | ||
| 1954-1955 | 51 | Mary Smith [residence] | ||
| 1956-1957 | 51 | Mrs. Mildred Smith [residence] | ||
| 1958-1959 | 51 | Vacant [51 no longer mentioned after 1959] | ||
| 1897-1899 | 53 | Galesburg Plumbing & Heating | ||
| 1900-1901 | 53 | Gross & Co. [general merchandise] | ||
| 1902-1905 | 53 | Joseph P. Quigley plumbing & gas fitting | ||
| 1909-1908 | 53 | Galesburg Envelope & Specialty Co. | ||
| 1910-1911 | 53 | Nickelodeon | ||
| 1913-1920 | 53 | Elite Theater [in 1920 it was vacant] | ||
| 1922-1923 | 53 | Larkin store | ||
| 1924-1925 | 53 | Vacant | ||
| 1926-1951 | 53 | Haine’s Market [meats] | ||
| 1954-1955 | 53 | Sages Market | ||
| 1956 | 53 | Chucke’s Market | ||
| 1959-1964 | 53 | Fritz’s Market [grocery] | ||
| 1965-1971 | 53 | M & W Market [53 no longer mentioned after 1971 in City Directories] | ||
| 1924-1925 | 55 | Vacant | ||
| 1926 | 55 | Stairway [55 never mentioned again after 1926 in City Directories] | ||
| 1897-1911 | 57 | Plaindealer Printing Company [and Republican newspaper]and Galesburg Tribune from 1902-1903]] | ||
| 1902-1903 | 57 | Galesburg Tribune [along with Plaindealer] | ||
| 1913-1914 | 57 | Vacant | ||
| 1915-1916 | 57 | VL Brown | ||
| 1919-1920 | 57 | FW Holliday dry cleaning & pressing | ||
| 1919-1922 | 57 | Ed Garfield [basement] shoe repair | ||
| 1922-1923 | 57 | Cowper Cleaning [dry cleaning] | ||
| 1924-1925 | 57 | Lawrence Anderson [upstairs residence] | ||
| 1924-1925 | 57 | George Leidy & wife [upstairs residence] | ||
| 1924-1925 | 57 | Frank McFate [basement residence] | ||
| 1926-1930 | 57 | New Grand Café | ||
| 1931-1936 | 57 | Vacant | ||
| 1938-1941 | 57 | Daisy Ice Cream Co. | ||
| 1943-1944 | 57 | Vacant | ||
| 1946-1949 | 57 | James R. Mann auctioneer | ||
| 1951-1954 | 57 | Rivers Appliances [household] | ||
| 1956-1960 | 57 | Jack’s Pizza | ||
| 1960-1965 | 57 | K-of-E Brake Donut Shop | ||
| 1960-1964 | 57 | Floyd Sargeant & H.A. Yelton real estate | ||
| 1966-1967 | 57 | Vacant | ||
| 1967-1976 | 57 | Martie’s Pizza | ||
| 1977-1978 | 57 | Besserra’s International Restaurant & Lounge | ||
| 1979-1980 | 57 | Spanish Villa | ||
| 1980-1982 | 57 | Vacant | ||
| 1983-1985 | 57 | DJ’s Country Still Restaurant & Lounge | ||
| 1984 | 57 | Vacant | ||
| 1985-present | 57 | Cherry Street Brewing Co./Cherry Street Restaurant |
