The RocHaus in West Dundee is once again rockin’ but with a new name, Rookies RocHaus, and new management.
Restaurateur Bob Karas, whose group owns Village Squire and Rookies, took over the venue’s management from founder and owner Kevin Krak earlier this year.
A business associate, Bob Cozza, brought him the idea of taking over the RocHaus, he said.
“It was a good opportunity. Kevin did a nice job. He wanted somebody that he knew could operate the place well and keep it going the way it was,” Karas said.
Located at 96 W. Main St. inside a renovated movie theater in the village’s downtown district, RocHaus is Krak’s legacy, Karas said. “(Krak) knew with our experience with entertainment and food, it would be in good hands,” he said.
Karas owns 15 restaurants, seven of which are Rookies locations and many of which offer live music. He also owns Alexander’s Cafe in Elgin, which recently obtained a liquor license for its outside patio.
His experience in restaurants goes back to his childhood, he said. His dad purchased the Village Squire in 1974; it now has locations in West Dundee, South Elgin, McHenry and Crystal Lake.
“I grew up in the business,” Karas said. “I started working right out of college at Alexander’s and the Squire. I was bussing tables at 10 years old. I always loved the business. I still love the business.”
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The RocHaus building also has memories for him. He remembers going to see movies there when it was a theater, he said.
“It’s a versatile place,” he said. “It’s got a lot of history. It’s a 100-year-old theater. It’s a nice venue.”
Downtown was thriving then, and he thinks that can happen again by drawing crowds to the RocHaus, Karas said.
He’d like to bring in groups doing different genres of music in addition to the Friday and Saturday nights shows and open mic events, he said. He’s also interested in bringing comedians, adding more open mic nights and increasing the menu, he said.
One thing RocHaus has found is there’s a core audience for older bands and tribute bands, which attract people who aren’t necessarily interested in going into Chicago for a concert, he said.
“We do a lot of tribute bands,” Karas said. “It seems like what people want to see is an AC/DC band or Van Halen or Journey (tribute band). Some of them are really good. You think it’s them because they dress like them, sound like them and look like them.
“It’s definitely a good time,” he said.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.