After RinkSide closed its doors in Gurnee Mills, the ice rink was quickly reopened as the Top Shelf Ice Arena, and new owner Kurt Carlson hopes to turn the location into a “hockey destination.”
One of the steps toward accomplishing that goal was receiving a liquor license from the village of Gurnee, which was accomplished at Monday’s Village Board meeting.
Top Shelf Ice Arena, which is taking over from the long-standing RinkSide Sports and Family Entertainment Center and Tilt Studio, will be able to sell alcohol from its bar after the license is approved.
The ice arena, which is located inside of Gurnee Mills, switched to new ownership on Feb. 1, and is co-owned by Carlson and Tim Kinsman, both of whom are heavily involved in Vipers Hockey, a youth hockey organization based in Gurnee. Carlson described himself and Kinsman as “hockey guys.”
RinkSide previously served as one of the league’s partner rinks, and will continue to do so as the Top Shelf Ice Arena.
“We felt that if we put the right resources into [the rink], we could really expand its presence and make Gurnee Mills a hockey destination,” Carlson said at the meeting.
The board unanimously approved the ordinance amending the village’s municipal code in regards to alcoholic beverages.
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Plans call for the ice arena to start out with beer and wine, and to serve burgers and pizza at its bar and grill, located within the arena. The owners may add additional alcoholic beverages as they continue to develop their menu.
During the meeting, Trustee Greg Garner raised concerns about attendees of the arena being able to purchase alcoholic beverages from the bar area, and then skating, something he called a dangerous combination.
“That’s not the idea,” Carlson said in response. He said that the bar will be there primarily for parents who are attending their children’s games or practices.
Trustee Quin O’Brien also questioned if attendees would be able to purchase alcohol and then enter the mall with their beverages, but Carlson said that all alcoholic drinks would be confined to the bar and grill area. There was no estimate given for when the necessary construction will be completed.
There will be access to the bar and grill area directly from the mall, but it won’t be through the main entrance that previously led into the arcade. Carlson said that they are going to build a long hallway instead that will lead mall visitors into the ice arena and the bar and grill.
He said that maintaining an ice arena isn’t a lucrative business, especially during a pandemic, but Carlson’s intention is to turn Top Shelf Ice Arena into a hot spot for youth hockey. He said that effort will begin next month, with a six-weekend long tournament in which 16 teams will compete.
“It’s going to be between 250 and 300 families coming to Gurnee for six consecutive weeks that would otherwise not be coming,” Carlson said.
He added that the rink needs a significant amount of work to get it to the level that the owners of Top Shelf Ice Arena want it to be at, and they will “need resources” to do that. Carlson said the sale of alcohol and food for people attending the rink will help raise funds to keep the ice rink afloat.
“If ice rinks were super profitable, you’d see one next to every Starbucks,” he said. “They’re not that profitable. In fact, they rarely turn a profit. This is about passion. This is about trying to give back to the community, and making sure we don’t lose an ice rink.”
He also said that with the ice rink, he hopes to pass on a love of the sport, which “has meant so much” to him and his family.
Erin Yarnall is a freelance reporter.