Grand Opening On The Horizon For Downtown Oswego's New Cocktail Lounge

OSWEGO, IL — A grand-opening date has been set for Bay 54, a new cocktail lounge in downtown Oswego.

The latest venture from A2T Hospitality, the team that operates The Lewis in St. Charles, Bay 54 will open July 24 at 57 Main St.

Bay 54 took over the building, originally a firehouse, from The Bike Rack, which closed last summer. The bar will reside in the original engine bay, with its name a nod to the circa 1954 building's legacy.

"The space looks fantastic, their enthusiasm is contagious, and I think it's going to be a great addition to our community," Village President Ryan Kauffman wrote on Facebook.

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A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned at 4 p.m. that Friday to usher in the first evening of "good drinks, good company and long nights."

"For our first night, we'll be seating guests as we're able and will not be taking reservations," the team wrote on Facebook. "We expect it to be a busy one, and there may be a wait, but we'll be doing everything we can to get as many of you in as possible without rushing the experience. Bay 54 was built to be settled into, and we want to make sure we start that the right way."

As the business becomes profitable in a year and a half to two years, the restaurant plans to build out the second floor of the firehouse to expand Bay 54 and potentially put in a kitchen for small bites, Patch reported. Until then, guests will be able to bring in carry-out meals from neighboring restaurants.