The Illinois Valley’s newest bar: Sanctuary La Salle hosts its ribbon cutting

La Salle’s newest bar conducted its official ribbon cutting Tuesday and plans a grand opening this weekend after a rolling opening since the summer.

Owned by Katie Orsini and Dani Brzozowski, Sanctuary La Salle is located at 125 Hennepin St.

The group was joined by friends, members of the Illinois Valley Area Chamber of Commerce and city officials as they officially cut their opening ribbon to prepare for their Saturday, Dec. 18 celebration.

Both Orsini and Brzozowski are Illinois Valley natives and had the idea for the location after they realized they wanted to create a space where anyone can feel welcome to enjoy.

“We’re both super community-oriented and this is not the first business venture for either of us,” Brzozowski said. “We’ve been best friends for a while and when we go out and do social stuff we’re always looking for a spot that feels super comfortable and feels like a safe space.”

The duo wanted to bring a unique atmosphere to their patrons that feels more like hanging out with good friends rather than just visiting a bar.

“That’s the thing that people really say to us when they come in here is they really like the vibe,” Brzozowski said. “Which is so flattering because this is my vibe. We’ve gotten a pretty wide audience since we’ve opened.”

The bar officially opened back in July and delayed its official grand opening as owners were waiting for gaming machines to be installed. This has given the owners the chance to work out the kinks as they prepare to go full steam ahead.

The location itself is not unfamiliar to a bar, as Brzozowski noted a bar has been located at their spot for 100 years.

“We hear all of these great stories from people who have been around for a really long time who came when it was The Office and who came when it was Jim’s Lounge,” Brzozowski said. “They tell stories like guys behind the bar polishing martini glasses with bow ties and it’s so fun and really neat.”

The owners have been encouraged by the stories from the past they’ve heard and want to add to them going forward while providing their own unique twist.

“It’s not the kind of bar where when you walk in, everyone kind of turns to see who it is,” Brzozowski said. “It’s the kind of bar where you can just chill.”

The response the establishment has seen from the community has been encouraging so far and the owners have reciprocated the excitement.

People have begun bringing various gifts into the bar that have since been put on display as part of the decor.

“It feels like a place where so many people have contributed already to our success,” Brzozowski said. “We’re really excited to keep on trucking.”

The owners have implemented unique amenities such as a school bus for rides home on bigger drinking nights such as the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve.

“The bar is super cool and we do all sorts of weird stuff,” Brzozowski said. “We do events all of the time and we have live music. We have cheap beer, good whiskey, pool and darts.”

Go to https://www.facebook.com/sanctuarylasalle for more information on the new business.