The Garage on Water opens with ribbon cutting

Wilmington’s downtown just got a little livelier. A ribbon cutting was held Friday morning to welcome the city’s newest business, The Garage on Water, a sports bar located along the millrace at 118 S. Water Street.
Wilmington Chamber of Commerce President Steve Evans led the celebration, thanking owner Van Holman and partner Billie Van Duyne for investing in the community. The event drew local and state dignitaries including Illinois State Senator Patrick Joyce and Wilmington Mayor Ben Dietz, who both praised the pair for jumping into business during one of the town’s busiest weekends—Catfish Days.
“It’s been a whirlwind,” Holman said of getting the bar up and running in time for the summer festival, crediting Van Duyne and a network of family and friends for helping make it happen.
Holman also thanked Greg & Sons Construction for transforming two long-vacant buildings into a vibrant commercial space. The company gutted the structures and built eight office suites, including the large space that now houses The Garage on Water.
“The minute we saw it we were like, this is perfect,” Holman said. “It may be a little smaller than we wanted, but we’re starting with what we’ve got and will see where it takes us.”
Holman hinted at future plans to expand, potentially adding a video gaming room or even a golf simulator.
The name The Garage on Water holds sentimental and local significance. For three decades, starting in the 1960s, it served as Lockwood Auto Sales, eventually changing to a full service auto garage until Keith Lockwood retired in the 1990s.
The today’s building features two garage doors that open to the millrace, the place sits on Water Street, and was inspired by an uncle’s garage where Holman spent time watching football and playing cards in his youth.
“I’ve lived in Wilmington my whole life,” he said. “We’d usually go north to watch big sporting events. We wanted to create a place for ourselves—and for the town.”
The sports bar features outdoor seating along the water, live music, and food trucks on the weekends.
“We have a truck here this weekend who said he’ll be here every weekend until the snow flies,” Holman said, adding that he hopes to rotate options like burgers and Mexican fare. Frozen pizzas and air fryer appetizers will also be available.
“So far people have said they like the setting,” Holman said. “We had a two-man band on the patio Thursday night and they killed it… Everyone sat outside enjoying the music until the bad weather came through.”
Televised sports will be central to the experience, with plans to stream everything from major league games to local high school sports and even racing, wrestling, and tennis.
The Garage on Water is now open daily at 10 a.m.