Micky’s Irish Pub expands to Davenport

Micky’s Irish Pub will soon open at 429 E. Third St., Davenport. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSON
Micky’s Irish Pub will soon open at 429 E. Third St., Davenport. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSON

Micky’s Irish Pub is scheduled to open in downtown Davenport on or around Saturday, Feb. 1.

The pub – with locations in Iowa City and North Liberty, Iowa – will open its third site in the former Ruby’s Beers, Bikes & Brats at 429 E. Third St.

Ruby’s permanently closed in late November. Part of that downtown building is still occupied by Lopiez Pizza shop.

“I’ve always loved the Quad Cities. … This place is just a good fit for our brand,” said David Stein, one of the owners of Micky’s and a former Davenport resident.

Mr. Stein added that workers are busy remodeling the interior, and getting ready for an opening that he hopes will come on Saturday, Feb. 1.

However, during an interview with the Quad Cities Regional Business Journal this week, he said that it might be delayed a few days, depending on the progress of work at the East Third Street site. Grand opening events have not been scheduled yet, but could be announced in a few days.

When opened, Micky’s will have 25 to 30 employees. Some of the workers are former employees of Ruby’s.

As of Wednesday, Jan. 22, the new Mickey’s site was about 60% to 65% staffed, and the company was looking for more employees, Mr. Stein said. Those interested in applying for a job may stop by the new Micky’s site in Davenport and fill out an application, he added.

Work also continues to move forward on transforming the former Ruby’s into a new Micky’s. On Wednesday afternoon, a sign stating “Mickey’s Irish Pub Coming Soon” was on top of the building, while the former Ruby’s sign had been taken off the building and placed near the front sidewalk. Also, work continued on the remodel of the building’s interior.

Downtown is buzzing

Some business leaders in the community said that Micky’s has already been creating a buzz in the downtown area.

“It’s rare to see the kind of buzz Micky’s has generated following their announcement to open a Davenport location, and I’m grateful this Iowa City institution chose downtown Davenport for their QC footprint,”  said Kyle Carter, executive director of the Downtown Davenport Partnership, an affiliate of the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce.

“It’s a perfect fit adjacent to Lopiez off the Arsenal bridge, and we’re eager to welcome them downtown when they open the doors,” he added.

When Micky’s opens its downtown Davenport site, it will be its third location. Micky’s opened in Iowa City in 1980, and opened a second location in North Liberty in 2022.

The Iowa City location has 16 rotating craft beers, handmade craft cocktails and a vast selection of scotches from around the world, according to Mickey’s website.

The Micky’s Iowa City location is a favorite pub in that community. “Scholars and deviants have helped keep it warm for the last three decades,” the business website states.

The food menu includes a wide variety of soups, salads and sandwiches. Some of those include the Micky’s House  Burger, the steakhouse bacon burger and the Nashville Hot Fried Chicken Sandwich.

Mr. Stein said the menu at the Davenport location will be similar to the menus at Micky’s other two locations.

He added that Micky’s is making a big investment in expanding its operations and bringing a third site to the Quad Cities.

“I don’t want to go into the dollar figure, but this is going to be a very decent investment in the downtown,” he added.


This articles was originally published by the Quad Cities Regional Business Journal.