Experienced pub owner brings new speakeasy-style bar to downtown Belleville
In November, local business owner and Belleville native Rachel Speichinger announced via Facebook that a new business is coming to downtown Belleville’s West Main Street.
“With the court house a block away I’ve decided on the name Rachel’s Sidebar,” Speichinger wrote in the November post.
“Legally, [a sidebar] is where judges will often call attorneys to speak confidentially and privately so that the jury cannot hear what is discussed in the courtroom,” she wrote. “In business, it’s a place where relationships are built before and after meetings.”
Located at 133 W. Main St., the 1920s speakeasy-style bar is slated to open Saturday.
Stepping back in time
Once doors open, what can patrons expect at Rachel’s Sidebar?
As far as the setting’s vibe goes, there is the feel of an art deco-style speakeasy, with its green, black and gold colors throughout the space.
Upon entering, guests will see a small table with a fancy lamp and an old-timey phone. A clock hangs on the wall adjacent to a wide, rectangular mirror with an ornate frame.
At the front of the space is a lounge area with two large couches for patrons to sit and visit with each other.
There’s a dance floor, plenty of bar seating, round tables, which Speichinger said are great for group conversations, or “roundtable talks,” and gaming machines along the walls at the back of the space.
Overall, it’s a great use of the space, but I think the best parts are in the details.
Items placed on sofa tables in the lounge area include big gold and green lamps and a scale, perfect in keeping with a courthouse theme.
Some of the furnishings have an art deco feel with their geometric elements. The wallpaper on the bar side wall is black with gold arches.
Above the dance floor, Speichinger included detailed metal tiles, which brighten the space and draw one’s eyes upward.
In the run up to the opening, Speichinger is putting some finishing touches on Rachel’s Sidebar. A back wall will eventually feature historic photos.
She mentioned a photo from around 1915 of Endres Saloon at 3701 W. Main St., where Spike’s Pub & Grub now stands, and a poster for Belleville’s first Ding Dong Festival in 1920. Speichinger has an old photo of four well-dressed women, each drinking from bottles in one hand while holding their purses in the other.
It’s a great photo.
Going just to check out the details is totally worth a visit.
Hospitality and high standards
Speichinger isn’t new to the hospitality business. She and husband Dan own Spike’s Pub & Grub in Belleville and Spike’s Public House in Millstadt.
The Speichingers’ business partnership is 50/50 with a clear division of responsibilities. At each Spike’s location, Speichinger is the face of the business, handling the day-to-day operations at the front of house. Dan, who has a business degree in hospitality, works behind the scenes, handling the accounts and other business tasks.
Without him, none of this could happen, according to Speichinger, who also credits her managers at both the Millstadt and Belleville locations with helping keep everything running smoothly.
“I couldn’t have ever dreamed of opening this place [without them],” she said.
As far as acquiring the property at 133 W. Main St., Speichinger said that she’s approached “anytime a bar comes up for sale.”
The site is the former location of Club Escapade, which closed in early December after more than 25 years in business. Owners Harold Schwartz and Rick Hembree retired and put the property on the real estate market in August 2024.
With two successful establishments providing kitchen service already in her portfolio, Speichinger didn’t want to add a third. The new West Main Street pub doesn’t have a full-service kitchen, which appealed to her, she said.
Still, some food options will still be available at Rachel’s Sidebar. There’s a pizza oven at the new bar that can also warm up soft pretzels. It will also carry Schubert’s smokies and a couple of other items will be offered, she said.
“I’m excited about this place,” Speichinger said, and can “still focus on the other kitchens.” She says running a kitchen is the hardest part of the bar and restaurant business.
While the food offerings at Rachel’s Sidebar will be minimal, Speichinger says what she will make available will be fresh and made-to-order. She researched different companies to provide the eats and found a pizza company in Illinois that prides itself on using clean ingredients.
She believes that the fewer impurities in food and drinks, the better. At both Spike’s locations, everything is made in-house with clean ingredients.
As for what’s on offer beveragewise at Rachel’s Sidebar, Speichinger said the cocktails will not be made with typical rail liquors and that patrons can expect better with higher-quality spirits.
She said she loves all three of her local businesses equally, but Rachel’s Sidebar is different.
“This is something I get to put my name on,” said Speichinger.
She grew up in Belleville, graduated from Belleville Township High School East, and describes herself as a “Belleville girl.”
Now she’s opening a second business in her hometown, glad to reinvest in it because “I believe in Belleville,” she said.
About Rachel’s Sidebar
Rachel’s Sidebar is located at 133 W. Main St. in Belleville. Hours of operation will be 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday-Saturday.
This story was originally published January 24, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
