On a dark and rainy Friday night, I strolled quietly down the sidewalk in downtown Urbana with a newfound curiosity and excitement. I was on a mission: to find the ‘Yellow Rabbit,’ Urbana’s secret speakeasy.
Only a couple hours earlier, at a meeting of tired parents wanting to know what was going on with their kids’ schools, someone had relayed their experience of going to ‘Yellow Rabbit.’ With wide-eyes, she said I couldn’t miss it.
I had walked on that same sidewalk dozens of times, past the same set of shops, but this time I saw Urbana with new eyes. Urbana is changing for the better, and my friend had given me clear instructions to the newest addition. And yet a fear lingered – would I be able to find the secret door and the secret staircase?
Unfortunately, in the spirit of a speakeasy, I can’t give out the exact location and the specific directions. But I have hidden a couple of hints in this post, so if you are willing to read the post, you might be able to figure it out. But probably not.
In any case, I arrived at the speakeasy at about 9p, and there were no more than 10 people there. The speakeasy has a stairway descending down to a basement. There’s a nice, large bar with 3 bar tenders, seats, comfy seats, a couch or two, and beautiful historical pictures of downtown Urbana from early in the 20th century. Do you feel like you are going back in time. Yes, yes you do.
The bar is well done, and fits the theme. There’s no dress code, but the other patrons were dressed for the occasion. Clothes more or less from the era; nicer clothes. I felt out of place. Next time I go, I will try to dress better.
I was there fairly early, and things were quiet. It was nice. As time went on, more and more people arrived, excited. I met friends without planning it, and they introduced me to new friends. Having the air of mystery seemed to let people’s guard down. I met a bunch of new people and we all agreed that the speakeasy was something to celebrate.
The only thing I will say though was that, there were so many people there, it was quite loud. I had to leave because of the noise. And as I was leaving, I paused….I could hear it from the top of the stairs.
Urbana is changing. Urbana is becoming more vibrant. There are good businesses moving it. Urbana has great people who love where we live. It’s the great people that make Urbana, Urbana. Humans are more than resources, Urbana.
So, please, speakeasy.