Pub II marking 50th anniversary with party in uptown Normal (2024)

NORMAL— Known to many as a beloved college bar and restaurant, Pub II is celebrating 50 years as an uptown Normal staple with a parking lot party this weekend.

John Rokos opened the Pub on June 17, 1974 with manager Mike Ciganovich, at102 N. Linden St.Terry Stralow took over shortly after and was a longtime operating manager.Both Rokos and Stralow have since died, but John's wife, Barb Rokos, still owns the bar, and John's son, Luke Rokos, serves as general manager.

Luke Rokos said his dad grew up in Cicero and moved to Bloomington-Normal for school. He started working as a manager for George Boylan at Boylan's Pub I, 505 W. Market St. in Bloomington, and saw an opportunity for growth when the Town of Normal "went wet," allowing liquor, beer and wine sales, so he and Stralow openedPub II.Pub I still exists today as the Lounge & Package Liquor store.

Luke Rokos said one of the biggest things he learned from his father and business partner was how to treat people and grow the community.

"I mean, people always say it's an honor to be a part of something like this, but it truly is the shoes I've stepped into and the being a part of a legacy like this," Luke Rokos said.

He continued, "Being part of the community and treating people well, and being here for literally generations now at this point— all of this is a major factor of why people keep coming back," he said. "They come here and ...one of the biggest compliments I can see is when people come in and say, 'It's just like I remember.'"

To commemorate its 50-year milestone, the bar will block off its whole front parking lot for a party from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Saturday. Regular service will be available inside and in the beer garden until 2 a.m.

The event will feature a Budweiser beer truck, The Jim Blossoms band from 1:30-4:30 p.m., and Funbelievable Balloons of Hudson from 2-4 p.m.

Luke Rokos said he hopes they'll have enough room for everyone who wants to come celebrate, estimating they can comfortably fit around 150 people in the parking lot. And, he said there will be plenty of the Pub II's famous cheeseballs to go around.

Fiftieth anniversary T-shirts will be available for sale during the event and during business hours while supplies last.

Luke Rokos said he feels blessed for his family's business to have made it through 50 years, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, when they witnessed several friends and fellow business owners having to close down.

"(I) hope we mean a whole lot (to the community), because like I said, one thing I've learned is the community has given us so much that we really tried to give back to the community whenever the opportunity arises," he said. "I just hope there's a lot of fond memories."

Luke Rokos has fond memories of the business himself, as he met his wife, Christine, there.

Normal Mayor Chris Koos also has been a fan of Pub II.

"My business was located next to the Pub II from 1976 to 1992, and during that time time, I probably ate three times my weight in cheeseburgers," said Koos, who also owns and operates Often Running and Vitesse Cycle Shop in Normal."Cheers to their continued success."

In 2021 and 2022, Pub II was nominated as one of Barstool Sports' top 128 college bars in America. It also was named a top 100 college bar by Playboy Magazine in 1998.

Luke Rokos was nominated for best bartender in 2017 as part of The Pantagraph Readers' Choice Awards. The bar has had a number of other Readers' Choice nominations and wins over the years, including for coldest beer, best bar, best chili and best burger.

Pub II is open 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday and Monday; 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday; and 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story miscredited Terry Stralow with opening the Pub in 1974. He joined the business shortly after.