By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Bad timing spoiled The Bubble Hive’s first attempt at a second location.
Timing was on its side the second time around.
The Loves Park head shop and wellness store had planned to open a second location in Roscoe, and signed a lease just days before Gov. JB Pritzker issued a statewide lockdown in March 2020 meant to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
“We were never able to open because of everything that was going on,” said Chris Hare, who co-owns the shop with Todd Cedarleaf.
As luck would have it they found space in downtown Rockford – an area they had wanted to locate – by chance. Now they’re preparing to open a retail store they hope will add to the downtown arts and cultural scene.
“We want to be trendy, artistic, music, connected to the scene,” Hare said. “We’ll be giving back to the artists.”
Related: The Happy Cannabis Co. opens in Loves Park
Hare was walking through downtown in summer when he saw a for rent sign go up at 412 E. State St., a former barbershop next door to Wired Cafe.
“I saw the guy put the sign up and I called right away and I got in the next day. There was like three or four other people trying to look at it and we rented it right away, right on the spot,” Hare said. “That spot was amazingly perfect, like it was meant to be.”
Coming soon
The Bubble Hive has had its coming soon sign up for months, and after making some cosmetic fixes and other changes owners plan to open by Thanksgiving.
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It’s initial store is located at 7100 N. Alpine Road in Loves Park.
The downtown shop will focus on retail, with Bubble Hive clothing and accessories and goods centered around marijuana and music culture.
The head shop often incorporates art shows in Loves Park, including a Halloween show this weekend. They plan to do the same in downtown working with artists like Chris Geebus and Roni Golan, who operates The Underground Art Gallery two doors down at 418 E. State St. and is known for his live paintings.
The official opening day for The Bubble Hive in downtown Rockford will be announced at a later date.
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas.