Raise a glass: Mobile bar to open brick-and-mortar location in Peoria Heights

Five years ago, Clink opened as a mobile bar in the Peoria area.

The sleek 1965 Airstream has served Friday Night Heights events at Tower Park – which just held its final event for the season − and customers have been able to rent the mobile bar for private events and gatherings.

Soon, the business will offer a more sit-down experience, as well.

Clink Bar and Events will hold its grand opening on Oct. 14 beginning at 5 p.m. Located in Peoria Heights, the new storefront will serve a variety of drinks, as well as “elevated bar food.”

“Building a business has been a huge learning opportunity,” said owner Sam Heppard. “And so, I think we've just kept building on what we’ve learned over the years. And I think we're never done learning, but it’s led us to this point where we finally (are) able to open up something bigger.”

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‘A really nice place’ to live and work

The search for an in-person location began in 2020.

Clink had built up a steady following since opening in October 2018. Because of this, Heppard said a brick-and-mortar storefront seemed like the right path forward.

Heppard said they considered locations in the Warehouse District and other areas around Peoria. Nothing seemed to be the right fit, though.

Heppard hoped to stay in Peoria Heights. He said he has lived in the area for over a decade and the business has also been based out of the area.

“I just love Peoria Heights, and it's (a) very business friendly place,” he said. “I mean, all the business owners are great. It's a really nice place to do business in and live in.”

Then, in May, Peoria Heights Wine & Bistro closed at Heritage Square Shopping Center. Heppard said he reached out to the owner after seeing the business’s Facebook announcement.

Less than two months later, Heppard and his wife, Traci, announced Clink’s new venture.

“This (location) just really hit home on everything that we wanted to do,” Heppard said.

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The menu and atmosphere

Customers will find a variety of drink options – from handcrafted cocktails to beers on tap. Unlike the mobile bar, Heppard said Clink Bar and Events will also serve food.

The menu will feature dishes such as an ahi tuna burger, green chili burger, cobb salad and shareable plates like sweet potato fries and more.

“We're trying to do like a fast casual but really elevated bar food,” he said.

Inside Clink Bar and Events, visitors will find lounge furniture, a bright bar space, a dining area, TVs and artwork depicting the mobile bar which started the Heppards’ journey. The new location also offers a private dining room, which Heppard said can accommodate around 50 guests, and a covered outdoor dining area.

Heppard said the goal was to create “a warm and inviting space” that is “fun and lively at the same time.”

“We really wanted to make it our imprint on the space,” he said. “And so, we've just kind of changed the entire look of it.”

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‘I feel like we are ready’

Along with refreshing the space, Heppard said the business had to bring in new equipment for the expanded menu and install a hood in the kitchen.

He said growing from a mobile unit to a larger brick-and-mortar space has been “a big learning curve.”

There were some challenges along the way, of course. Heppard said Clink Bar and Events faced many of the same construction and staffing problems which have plagued businesses around the area. Even so, the space was completed within a couple of months, and Heppard said the bar has built a strong staff.

“I feel like we are ready, but it has been quite a bit of work,” Heppard said.

In the end, though, Heppard added that he feels fortunate for all the support Clink has received over the years from the community.

Heppard said “everyone’s been really excited” for the new location to open. It’s a sentiment that Heppard shares.

“We're really excited to have everybody here and especially to see all of our returning customers that we've seen over the last five years …” he said. “So yeah, just really excited to open up and show everybody what we've done with the space.”

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Connect with Clink Bar and Events

Address: 4450 N. Prospect Road, Peoria Heights

Hours: To start, the business will be open 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 5 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Heppard said he plans to expand the hours after the restaurant has gotten going.

Website: https://www.clink-bar.com/

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria Heights welcomes 'fun and lively' business to Heritage Square