Forward Janesville - TheReport - Second Quarter 2024

The Janesville Culver’s Scoopie Night love my friends and the place where I grew up. It makes me feel good to make life better for my friends. It makes it fun to come home. People found it inconvenient to go to Madison or Rockford to go to a nice restaurant for a birthday or anniversary. It’s about making the community better and having people in Janesville be proud of their city.” Like Rocco, Hughes says locating his establishment in downtown was strategic. “I wanted (Genisa) in the heart of Janesville, and you can’t make it much more in the heart of the city than it is. It only takes 10 minutes to get there from anywhere in Janesville. I believe it has spurred more and more development in downtown Janesville.” Just a block down from Genisa on Main Street sits another establishment owned by former Janesville residents who saw the importance of investing in their hometown. Quint and Rishy Studer purchased and renovated Block 42 in 2016, opening three businesses – Bodacious Brew for coffee and breakfast, the SoChopped Salad Bistro that opens at lunchtime, and Bodacious Olive retail vinegars and olive oils – all under one roof in a thoughtfully renovated brick building with outdoor seating space. Bodacious general manager Jen Kingsbury was first sold on Block 42 as a customer. “I would purposely come down here for the vibe,” Kingsbury says. “It’s beautiful down here, and everybody was super kind when I came.” On a typical morning, you’ll find customers seated on both of the building's two floors, as well as outside on the patio -- some working, some meeting, some just socializing. People who stop in to Bodacious or SoChopped for coffee or lunch are often surprised to find the vinegar and olive oil store, something unique in this area. “I think the next (closest) is in Rockford or Madison,” says Kingsbury, “and then you’re getting into Galena, Illinois. It’s just a different shopping and dining experience all in one. That’s the goal and the mission of the ownership: to make a great space for the community to come and feel comfortable.” Kingsbury says that the dining options in downtown Janesville complement each other well, and that there is a real spirit of camaraderie downtown. “We take a lot of pride down here. I think it’s a great group that works together. With (the other restaurants), they are very different (from us). There’s no competition. If we don’t have it, go see our friends.” Another observation of Kingsbury’s is that along with establishments like hers, specialty retail shops in downtown Janesville have grown, and that has also created a winning combination. “It’s not just food, it’s great retail as a whole,” she says. “Downtown Janesville isn’t just restaurants and bars; you can spend a whole afternoon here.” Singular Experiences Unique spaces for people to meet and dine is by no means due solely to investment by ex-residents who made good, nor is it limited to downtown. Well over a decade before downtown Janesville started to revive, a teacher with a dream established a popular community meeting spot on the south side that has thrived for 21 years and shows no signs of slowing down. When Steve Dean left his full-time job at Oakhill Christian School to build the Mocha Moment coffee shop and cafe on Janesville’s south side, many thought it was a fool’s errand. To say he has proven them wrong is an understatement. “My family has generations of independent business owners like me, so it’s in the genes,” says Dean. “I thought I could make a living at it, but it took off way more than that. It’s way exceeded what I thought would happen. We’ve grown every Mocha Moment’s interior is warm, making you feel like you’re in your own cabin up north The patio at the Bodacious Block of Shops 42 spans the entire backside of the building and looks out over the Rock River Head to Bodacious Brew for coffee and breakfast, SoChopped for lunch, and take home artisan oils and vinegars from Bodacious Olive Genisa’s interior is a tasteful blend of old and new