Everything old new again on QC’s booming Motor Row
Several downtown Davenport business owners are behind the wheel of a new drive to better brand and promote a bustling section of downtown.
Based on its national historic district, a “Motor Row” effort is gassing up and hitting the road. The area is roughly bound by River Drive to the south, Bechtel Park and Government Bridge to the east, 3rd Street to the north and Perry to the west.
The area is formally named the Motor Row and Industrial Historic District because in the early 1900s through about 1960, it was an area of businesses catering to cars, including service stations, auto dealerships, and tire and auto stores, according to the nomination for the listing. It also was home to light industry, wholesalers and warehouses.
Matt Sanchez, owner of Nehlsen Creative (211 E. 2nd St.), is one of Motor Row’s founders and leaders, but said the initiative is not a way to promote his own business.
“I’m just obsessed with the neighborhood, obsessed with the passion of all these other business owners,” he said recently. “I wanted to move down here because I belong to the Cigar Lounge; I love eating at Half Nelson, and I love seeing shows at Raccoon Motel,” Sanchez said, adding the glories of Front Street, Ragged Records, Trash Can Annie’s and the Mississippi River Distilling Co. downtown lounge.
“I fell in love with the history of the building and when I found this area was once referred to as Motor Row, that is an easy story to tell,” Sanchez said. The marketing possibilities are endless – get on the road, buckle up, take the ride of your life, enjoy the ride, etc.
The intent is to brand another part of the Quad Cities, and attract more people to live, work and play in the area.
Nehlsen Creative Marketing had a ribbon-cutting May 19, 2023 at its location on a booming corridor in downtown (East 2nd Street), where the stylish new indie movie theater The Last Picture House just opened down the block.
The Nehlsen firm moved to its current historic building in December 2021 (from its longtime home on Moline’s 16th Street) and owner Sanchez wanted to wait to have the ribbon-cutting until a year after he formally acquired the business, May 19, 2022.
The Nehlsen building was formerly home to Interstate Auto Supply.
“All that Motor Row does is help support everyone in the area,” Sanchez said, noting a map will be developed with a color-coded key to show what’s in the district (by type of building use).
The historic district of 28 buildings was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 2019. Its application says the district continued to play an important role in the local automotive industry until the era of Interstate freeway construction.
“River flooding, fires, building collapses, convention center construction, and parking lot development have eroded the historic building stock directly outside of these boundaries. This elevates the importance of these rare-surviving buildings within the historic district boundaries,” the application says.
How to join the ride
A single double-sided brochure is being distributed in the area, explaining what Motor Row is; why it’s gearing back up and how you can “get behind the wheel.” It includes a QR code (“Start Your Engines”) to join the group e-mail list.
Many business owners are sharing the mentality of, “Rising waters raise all ships,” Sanchez said. There isn’t the rivalry of competing business owners in the corridor, but cooperation, to help lift each other up.
They have been meeting every other Wednesday to brainstorm, including residents of apartment buildings like 210 Urbane (which features Tiphanie’s and Raygun on its ground floor).
One of Sanchez’s dreams is to put a Motor Row logo and QR code on each building, where people can be directed online to a history of the site and its current use.
Their first event is a “Motor Row Ho-Ho” Dec. 15-17, with shopping, dining, drinks and entertainment specials. The beauty of it is, businesses don’t have to participate, Sanchez said.
The event Facebook page will be updated to show who is participating and what holiday deals, promotions or specials they’ll have during this festive weekend.
Ragged Records and Trash Can Annie’s (311 E. 2nd St., Davenport) will have a holiday party after-hours sale and concert performance on Saturday, Dec. 16th, 2023, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The sale includes 10% off new and used vinyl at Ragged Records and 30% off special ‘shoe-punched’ tagged items at Trash Can Annie’s.
Live from the CD Lounge performances will be by Camp Regret (a new local post punk band featuring former members of Ice Hockey, Meth & Goats, and Lazer Mountain, including Ragged’s own Jon Burns on lead vocals/synth), and from Watermelon (a female-fronted Chicago pop punk band in the vein of The Ramones)
The new cooperative Motor Row effort eventually plans to put up Motor Row banners along the streets and eventually host street festivals, Sanchez said.
“We have a good group right now,” he said, citing Theo & Co., Kitchen Brigade, Half Nelson, and Last Picture House.
‘More oxygen’
Raccoon Motel owner Sean Moeller said recently he’s stoked about the new effort.
“It will give us more oxygen. It’s a banding together and taking pride in what we’re doing, ‘cause none of this happens in a vacuum,” he said. “Half Nelson and Bootleg Hill recovered fastest after the terrible 2019 flood and they’ve been holding down the fort for the block the longest.
“We were excited to revive the Motel and it was cool to have Ragged and Trash Can Annie come back to life at the same time we did,” Moeller said. “Seeing everything else blooming up now is so encouraging and it feels like we’re headed in the right direction as a destination. People can have a really great and fun time in Motor Row just going door to door.
“I think we have the most vibrant block in any of the Quad Cities,” he added. “We have a little bit of everything and what I love most about any bigger city is when there is a pocket in a neighborhood that scratches all of the itches — dive bar, music, records, lodging, cocktails, movies, food, vintage, books, brewery, and life. I think our block and the whole Motor Row area is getting really, really close to being that for our area and it’s very exciting.”
Matt Osborn, co-owner of The Half Nelson, noted this stretch of 2nd Street coming off of the Government Bridge used to be the first thing that anyone coming into Iowa from Illinois would see.
“It has always been a vibrant part of downtown Davenport, even before carrying that highway, and we are thrilled to be a part of that history now,” he said. “I’d love to see Motor Row become recognized as a chic arts/entertainment/dining destination that is known throughout the state and near-region as a must-visit if you are passing through or coming to the Quad Cities.
“We love having such great neighbors. During the flood of 2019, many of the buildings in this section of downtown (which lies lower than other portions) were seriously affected by flooding, so for some time after the flood, we were all by ourselves down here,” Osborn recalled. “Now we have neighbors all around us and more on the way. There is a great sense of community up and down 2nd Street, and it feels like we are all one another’s biggest fans.
“We cross-promote one another on social media, and I like to think that we share much of the same clientele,” he said. “I love the idea that someone could spend their entire afternoon and evening down here, enjoying shopping at Ragged Records & Trash Can Annie’s, then dinner with us at Half Nelson or at Kitchen Brigade, followed by a show at Raccoon Motel, then a nightcap at Mississippi River Distilling, Stompbox or Devon’s Complaint Dept.
“Were I not down here working anyway, that would be my idea of a great night in the Quad Cities,” Osborn said. “Hopefully the success our neighborhood has already enjoyed will only continue to snowball, until all of the real estate down here is in use by great, creative tenants.
“I hope this for all of downtown, but especially in our section on the east side, where Bucktown used to thrive more than 100 years ago,” he added. “I hope people will keep tabs on Motor Row, and continue to turn out to support new businesses and special events in the neighborhood, in addition to the places they already love.”
“I think not only the density of businesses, but the fact that every place on East 2nd Street offers a unique product or experience helps to continue to drive people to Motor Row,” Osborn said. “It’s fun and easy to hop between spots; the street feels safe and walkable, especially since traffic does not race through the neighborhood like it does on 3rd street.
“We are super excited to welcome the Last Picture House and eventually Great River Brewery to the neighborhood again,” he said. “Hopefully, there will be even more exciting openings next year and beyond.”
Incredibly rich history
Kyle Carter, executive director of Downtown Davenport Partnership, said from his perspective, it’s great to see a neighborhood association take off in a corridor of downtown.
“East 2nd Street and its Bucktown/automotive history provides such an incredibly rich tapestry for the neighborhood’s identity to further develop,” he said. “The various corners of downtown have always had a bit of their own identity, and it will only help promote the broader downtown story more.
“Motor Row is one of our most balanced corners of downtown with a wonderful mix of entertainment, office and residential with more of each on the way,” Carter said.
“My vision is to bridge the gap between the local community and Motor Row and make this a go-to destination for people of all ages,” said Annie Stopulos, owner of the men’s boutique Theo & Co., 219 E. 2nd St., who appreciates the district’s sense of neighborhood pride and community.
“By revamping the original Motor Row District, going back to its original purpose, our goal would be to strengthen the neighborhood by creating a fun, clean, and safe place to live, work, play, and invest,” she said.
“Motor Row is growing in popularity in large part due to the residential living opportunities (new construction and remodeled historic buildings) and the variety of local businesses opening,” Stopulos said by email, “By branding the district, it will allow us to continue to grow and attract not only the local community, but visitors as well.”
Instead of people saying “Let’s visit downtown,” which is a broad area, they will say “Let’s go to Motor Row, where we can park for the day, go shopping, grab lunch, hit up a brewery or distillery, and end the night with a movie,” she said.
As part of the holiday Motor Row specials, Theo & Co. will be having Crafted QC & Lillie + Pine “popping up” in the store Dec. 15th, 16th and 17th. Customers will be able to sip on a cocktail, snack on small bites, and shop holiday steals and deals from all three stores under one roof.
Motor Row is on Facebook HERE and Instagram HERE.
