This week when we were having pizza at Kenny’s Westside Pub I met Nylah and Jim, the owners of The Basket Case and they invited me to stop by and have a few beers sometime at their bar. Well, seeing that it’s been over a year since we’ve been there, I’d say that “sometime” is a moment that exists right here and now. To the MBIP moblie!
It's just a quick shot up Main Street and we'll be there...
See, here we are at the Basket Case. We'll follow the arrow where "X" marks the spot...
To follow to the neon lit windows that house the action inside.
This bar has been here for decades on Main Street and it's a classic dive bar complete with this lit up horseshoe bar. Let's snag a seat and get settled in.
They take their karaoke seriously here at The Basket Case and bartender Marlon doesn't miss a note, even as he serves me up a can of Budweiser. This note's for you!
Here's the screen on the paneled wall that you can read the lyrics to your song from as you belt one out to the crowd.
Here's Caleb who came up to say hi and he told me he reads the MBIP blog every day! Always love to hear that, thanks for reading the blog, Caleb!
They have multiple microphones here for harmonizing on a song and even if you don't have a mike, you can just sing into your beer can.
When I worked third shift at Fleming Potter in the '80s I remember coming here at seven in the morning and partying with the night shift nurses who worked at the hospitals downtown. This place sure stirs up some foggy memories of those days!
Marla, Mary and Red were having fun over here at the far corner of the bar and they happily posed for the MBIP camera.
I thought I spied a familiar face over here at the other side of the bar and it's Jim Henson (no relation to the Muppet guy) who we met the other week at Ulrich's Rebellion Room. Jim bought me a beer and I thank him for that! Cheers!
Wow, check this out behind the bar, they have a Little Nut Hut and a lit up Spuds MacKenzie action figure! Very cool!
Here's the infamous Christmas tree that's on display here at the bar all year long. You can learn more about this on a Barstorming edition from last summer that featured The Basket Case.
Here's Beth and Ally at the bar. It turns out that Beth is the sister of Ryan Jeffery, a fellow we've met twice on the blog, here and here. Ryan's also known as DJ Real Juicy who runs the White Folks Get Crunk brigade and I'm friends with Beth and Ryan's parents Ed and Sue! Time to cue up "It's A Small World After All!" Sorry about that!
Beth's friend Ally had an interesting story to share, she was adopted at an early age and her biological father recently posted about wanting to meet her on facebook and the two finally met and have a nice relationship now.
Women's World Magazine picked up the story after MBIP pal, Phil Luciano wrote this story in the PJ Star. How cool is that?
Zachary is a chef at the Norwood Pub 'N' Grub where we enjoyed a tenderloin a while back. Zachary said he makes a great homemade pizza pie out there and invited us out to have one for the MBIP Year of Pizza tour, so we'll be stopping out there in a few weeks to try it out. Stay tuned for that!
And as Marlon belts out, "On The Road Again," it's time to do just that and hit the road, we'll see you all tomorrow...and hey, let's be careful out there!
The Basket Case
610 W Main St.
Peoria
309-676-2273
Related Posts: Two Beers @ Lucky’s Modern Dive Bar, Marty’s Center Tap and Khaki Jack’s.