Kankakee committee recommends three liquor licenses; items sent to full council for final votes

The Kankakee City License & Franchise Committee voted in favor of recommending three liquor‑license applications to the mayor’s office and the full City Council during its March meeting.

For 5 Star Wings (applicant Mr. Clark), the committee discussed Clark’s longtime local presence; a committee member recused themself for a potential conflict of interest before the vote. A committee member moved to recommend approval of a Class G restaurant liquor license; the motion passed in committee and the item will be placed on the City Council agenda for a final vote a week later.

The committee also considered a transfer of liquor license No. 20 (previously held by RMK of Illinois doing business as Kelly’s Bar/Barfly) to a new operator proposing Winnie’s South Schuyler. Applicant Mr. Penske said he plans to purchase the building and have his wife operate a full bar similar to a license she currently holds elsewhere in Kankakee. He told the committee he and his wife plan renovations and estimated three to five months before opening. The committee moved to recommend approval of the transfer; the motion passed and the item will go to full council.

Finally, the committee recommended approval of a Class E banquet‑hall license for Gina Baumgartner’s Foundry Club at 150 East Station Street. Baumgartner said the space is roughly 5,000 square feet with a capacity of about 200 people for booked events; food will initially be brought in from outside vendors while a neighboring kitchen remains unused. Committee members asked about occupancy, hours and egress; Baumgartner said she expected most events would not run past midnight. The committee moved and approved sending the application to the mayor’s office; staff indicated the item could appear on the City Council agenda around March 16 for final action.

All three recommendations were committee referrals to the full council rather than final license grants. The committee also noted proposed changes to late‑renewal penalties for liquor licenses and deferred that item for further review in April.