Part 31: Rock Island

I decided to take a weekend trip to a metropolitan area where I lived and worked in what seems like another lifetime: the Quad Cities. I left work around noon. On my way into Moline, I passed by Quad City Downs. The former horse track was completely abandoned. I had only been inside once when it was still operating as an OTB. The last time a horse race occurred was September 6, 1993. I arrived at the Holiday Inn in downtown Rock Island around 4pm. I checked in, took a shower, and decided to take a stroll around downtown.

TUSCL said there was a strip club The Body Shop just a few blocks from my hotel. I showed up at the address to find a closed nightclub called JR’s. A quick internet search on my smartphone told me the strip club had closed down in August of 2016 and then changed format to a gay nightclub. It seems the gay nightclub went under and now all that remains is yet another empty storefront in downtown Rock Island. At one time, Rock Island had three strip clubs: The Body Shop, Jolly Roger Lounge, and The Tiger’s Den.

I stopped at a restaurant and bar called Gunchie’s for dinner. I ordered a Budweiser and a large pizza with onions. The bartender was shocked when I consumed the entire pizza. I got a second Budweiser to wash it all down. Next, I walked back to my hotel via The District, an area of bars and restaurants on 2nd Street. Nothing piqued my interest, so I kept walking.

Next, I decided to go to Southern Comfort Lounge on the other side of the Mississippi River by the Davenport Airport. Since the strip club is BYOB, I stopped at the BP gas station just a block from the establishment to buy two tallboys of Budweiser. At 8pm, there were only three dancers, but by 9pm, there were about fifteen working. Dancers were pretty average looking, but got completely nude on stage. The few customers inside seemed to be content just drinking and throwing an occasional tip. I enjoyed sipping my beers for an hour and a half, then decided to call it an early night. I had been up since four in the morning.

The Centennial Bridge between Rock Island, Illinois and Davenport, Iowa.