Jazzed-up bar to open in Campustown

Kati Jividen

The long bar lines in Campustown will soon be twisting around the corner of Lincoln Way when a new cafe/bar opens next week. MoJazz, 2520 Lincoln Way, will cater to a variety of ISU students, including minors, said co-owner Stan Rivera, 22. “We want to offer diversity,” said Stan Rivera, who owns the cafe/bar with his sister, Bonnie, 24; and brother, Dwight, 25. “People can come here and enjoy a relaxed area rather than going other places.” MoJazz will have live music on Wednesday nights and a DJ on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, Stan Rivera said. Jazz and lounge music will play during the day for those choosing to study inside or outside in their sidewalk cafe. Co-owner Dwight Rivera, junior in accounting and finance, said the bar will be similar to Boheme, but it will be closer to campus. He hopes the establishment will cater to international and graduate students and minors, who might not have any other place to hang out. “We’ll play a variety of music – international, techno, salsa and merengue,” he said. “This place will be a little more classy – if you come here on the weekends people will be dressed up a little bit. We just hope we can satisfy everyone.” Dwight Rivera said the cafe/bar will have a cover, depending on the night and type of entertainment available. The cover will be between $2 and $4, he said. And, of course, there will be drink specials. The cafe/bar will have sandwiches, salads, soup and three house specials – tamales, stuffed potatoes and chicken turnovers – for the noon crowd. There will also be soda, alcohol and a full coffee bar that can be integrated with alcohol. This is not the first business venture for the Rivera family, who has been in the coffee business for four years. They own Sante Fe on Welch Avenue and Main Street. “We have experience with coffee and food. The bar venture is new for us,” Stan Rivera said. “All three of us have pretty much dealt with the [restaurant/coffee] business since we were 18.” Stan Rivera plans to have one weeknight that is devoted to minors, so they can come and dance until 2 a.m. For those nights not devoted to minors, Stan Rivera said doormen and waitresses will check IDs to make sure minors are not drinking or on the premises after hours. The doormen will start checking IDs at 8 p.m. on weekends and waitresses will check IDs throughout the week. Stan Rivera said the opening night will include $2.00 drink specials on bottles and well-drinks. There will also be a DJ that night and possibly a live band before the DJ. “We’re trying to establish good service and good products,” he said. “We’re hoping to build strong business during the week and have strong business on the weekends as well.”