Theo's Coffee: A Beloved Coffee Shop Brews Up Music As Another Treat

Story and Photos by Jonathan Turner
Loan Product: Small Business Loan

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Downtown Rock Island, Illinois, once known for its vibrant Arts & Entertainment District, now finds a new melody at the iconic Theo’s Java Café, 213 17th St., Rock Island, Illinois. Co-owner Jamie Anderson secured a loan from Bridge Investment as part of a comprehensive renovation to the coffee shop, aiming to restore live music on a regular basis. 

Theo’s, named for founder and former owner Theo Grevas, reopened in September 2023 following an extensive  renovation after being closed nearly two years. The café  originally opened in 1994, and closed when Grevas retired in October 2021.

Jamie Anderson, alongside business partner Barry Morris, decided to take on the café  as a “community service,” driven by a personal connection to Rock Island. “It seemed to cry out for us,” Anderson says, calling Theo’s an institution and a landmark, beloved by many. “We love Rock Island and we knew we wanted to be down here,” Anderson says, noting his grandfather was a longtime owner of a local shoe store, G & S Shoes from 1948-1984, formerly next to RIBCO on 2nd Avenue. “I’ve been down here since I was a kid.”

The renovations included a new kitchen, upgraded seating, and a curved stone-lined counter. “We did it right – we took it up to code and beyond,” he says of the many upgrades. Among the new Theo’s décor is a wall full of family and historic photos of the area, including that downtown shoe store and an old Rock Island Lines train.

As a part of multipronged financing, Anderson utilized a City of Rock Island grant program, which recommended Bridge Investment through the Development Association of Rock Island, Inc, local economic development organization and Bridge Investment Board Member. The bridge loan by Bridge Investment allowed access to capital and work to be completed, and was repaid by the city grant, which helped fund the installation of a new sound system for the adjacent historic room next door (dating from 1896), which has a restored white tin ceiling and a new bar.

A bar used to be in that building over 100 years ago, Anderson says. Prior to renovations, there was only seating in that room but no bar. One of Anderson’s favorite upgrades involved reconfiguring the booths along the back wall of the main café. Previously, there was a condiment shelf on the left side, and a booth positioned awkwardly  right across from the men’s room. Anderson and Morris  removed that booth, built a partial wall, added a new booth in front of it, and framed a “Java” image of Theo, the cafes founder. “This becomes the best place. What was once considered the worst place in the house, is now the Java booth, perfect for meetings” Anderson says.

He describes the café’s overall transformation as “re-envisioned, re-thought,” he says of the overall new look and feel, Theo’s 2.0. Improvements also were made  to the roof and the basement. Though the  renovations took longer than expected, starting in March 2023, Anderson says, “It really came out nice.”

Since reopening in mid-September 2023, Theo’s regular hours are 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week and hosts regular open-mic nights on its expanded stage on Thursdays from 6 to 8 p.m. It’s also hosted a Quad City Arts visiting artist show – Jessica Fichot during a special lunch hour performance in February 2024, showcasing its commitment to live musica and the arts. Theo’s also had live music on a Thursday night in August 2024 to open the Alternating Currents festival. “We made it all more musician-friendly, to build out that corner,” Anderson says of the stage, which has a painted red Rock Island sign on the back wall.
 
Business has been a challenge to recoup their costs. “We don’t make anything. We spend more than we take in,” he says. “We’re fighting to scrape by.” Though Theo’s often hosts live music, Anderson is undecided about obtaining a liquor license. “It’s expensive to get into that business,” he explains, citing costs for  insurance, training, and certification.  While customers  ask if we have beer, Anderson says they are “on the fence” due to high upfront costs, estimating it would cost us several thousand dollars just to begin.

Anderson does not like coffee, instead prefers  tea, with blueberry lavender iced tea as his favorite. “I love the tea – for me, that’s my thing. I want to build on that,” Anderson says, noting they carry Republic of Tea brands.
 
With eight employees, Theo’s specializes in its sandwiches, homemade pastries, and a  variety of hot and iced coffee drinks. They’ve also experimented with new offerings. “We have been a little more experimental in opening things up, trying new things,” he says. “We’ve had some amazing compliments on the breakfast sandwiches, the burritos, too.”

“Everything we’re doing is from scratch,” Anderson says, emphasizing the need for more customers to expand hours and hire additional staff. “I could expand my hours, and bring on more people, because they’re ready to go. I just don’t have enough demand.”

To stay updated with Theo’s, visit www.facebook.com/theosjavacafe.

​ “We love Rock Island and we knew we wanted to be down here. I’ve been down here since I was a kid.”
- Jamie Anderson, Co-Owner