Rockford City Council approves hookah lounge and agreement for culinary program

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - A hookah lounge will soon be coming to the Forest City after Rockford City Council Members give their stamp of approval.

“It’s been proven to be effective in other cities you and it’s just a good clean venture,” said Alderperson Jonathan Logemann.

The lounge will move into the former Fatty McGee’s on E. State Street, but not everyone is excited about the new business.

“I thought perhaps with the proximity with the college and the shopping area that it may not be necessarily the most conducive for that kind of a lounge in the area,” said Alderperson Frank Beach.

Down the street the former Imperial Palace will be transformed into a classroom for a new eight week apprenticeship program and a full service restaurant.

“We want to keep it centralized in the city because we got folks all over the town who could benefit from this program,” said Logemann.