Summary:
- The new Ms. Hyde’s Hot Slots bar and gaming parlor in East Dubuque opened Aug. 11 at 198 Sinsinawa Avenue.
- Owners Paula Bodish and Tommy Schmeider renovated the former 2nd Street Slots with city TIF support.
- The venue features six gaming machines, a dartboard, and a cozy bar atmosphere.
East Dubuque’s downtown revival has a new player, both figuratively and literally. Ms. Hyde’s Hot Slots, a freshly opened bar and gaming lounge at 198 Sinsinawa Avenue, is welcoming locals with drinks, snacks, and the chance to try their luck on six Illnois-approved gaming machines.
The venture is co-owned by Paula Bodish, who balances her daytime career as a real estate agent with REMAX Advantage Realty and her evening role as bar owner. “We bought the building in May”, Bodish explained.
It’s something we’ve wanted to do. When the opportunity presented itself, we decided to take it.
The business officially opened on August 11 after waiting months for the necessary gambling license from Illinois. Being on the Illinois side of the river, Bodish pointed out, gives Ms. Hyde’s an edge over its Iowa neighbors.
Iowa doesn’t allow gaming in its bars, only in casinos. (Iowa bars) pay out in tickets. Illinois pays out in cash on the spot.
Big Investment
Bodish and her partner, Tommy Schmeider, invested heavily in transforming what was once 2nd Street Slots into something fresh.
“We’ve removed walls, we’ve put new walls up”, Bodish said, while also mentioning the added refrigeration system, icemaker, and dishwasher, and the decision to move the location of the games, paint both the interior and the exterior, and add fresh countertops and gutters.
The exterior facelift was supported by the city’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) program, which provides funds for projects contributing to East Dubuque’s revitalization.
Bodish says it feels good to be part of the momentum. “The new Culbies Event Center just opened about a block down”, she noted.
There’s also the dispensary just a block down. … The new fire station and police station are going in right across the street from me. … They’re revitalizing the whole East Dubuque area.
Inside, Ms. Hyde’s keeps things simple and comfortable, adding a dartboard, a handful of pub tables, and a full selection of beer, mixers, and spirits.
We have all your regular fare like beers and then we also do mixers. We’re still figuring everything out, but we have everything — all your nicer liquors … We’re just a small bar where people can enjoy their gaming and not be in a loud atmosphere.
Ms. Hyde’s Hot Slots opens daily at 10 a.m. and closes around 10 or 11 p.m. on weekdays, with hours stretching to midnight or later on weekends, depending on the crowd.
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