Tavern on Sixth might be a new location in downtown, but they are no stranger to Kenosha. The Kavalauskas family has a long family history in our town, going back three generations to a favorite watering hole on 52nd Street.
Q. Tell us about your family’s history in the Kenosha tavern business.
Kyle: Back in 1983 both my grandfather and father saw an opportunity to get into the industry. Spanky’s was a regular after work hangout for them, the owner was looking to get out of the business and they took a chance. After a 30 plus year run, my dad presented the idea to me of carrying on in the business. Not sure that I quite knew what I was getting into but I’ve loved being a part of it all.
Q. After decades of success at Spanky’s, what made you start fresh at Tavern on Sixth?
Kyle: This was not an easy decision to make but our plan for bringing indoor golf to Kenosha was a major factor. We saw an opportunity and decided to take the leap.
Q. What inspired you to open Kenosha’s first golf simulation bar? Is golf you favorite sport?
Kyle: Actually it is not my favorite! Baseball was my real passion, but when that came to an end I looked for something to fill that competitive void. Most of my friends have been avid golfers for years so it’s been fun playing catch up – I thought that access to year round golf could speed up that process.
Q. How do your golf simulators work?
Kyle: Our full-swing golf simulators use incredible ball tracking technology to produce some of the most accurate golf simulation available. A combination of cameras and laser trackers deliver that accuracy. We currently book our simulators hourly at $45 per hour.
Q. What is Tavern on 6th signature drink?
Kyle: Our staff is constantly working on new cocktails and our seasonal drink menu reflects that. We were fortunate to team with our neighbors at Rustic Road Brewing on a specialty house beer.
Q. Can you describe a typical day or week for you & your staff at Tavern On Sixth?
Kyle: We are extremely fortunate for our amazing GM Andy Bilski who handles most of the day to day business. Because of him I am able to focus most of my time managing golf leagues, preparing outings, and contributing to our social media advertising.
Q. Tell us a little bit about the great staff you have at Tavern on 6th?
Kyle: Our team is what makes this place so amazing – it’s the hardest working group of people I’ve been around in the industry. They are what makes Tavern On 6th what it is!
Q. We heard you have a new food menu coming out soon, can you give us hints as to what we might see on that menu?
Kyle: Gonna keep the details of our menu sealed for now! But I will say much like our cocktail menu we will always be looking to evolve and offer great seasonal options.
Q. Who do you look up to professionally?
Kyle: My parents have always been people I look up to because of all their hard work. It’s an honor to be able to be in business with them and share in the fun and success.
Q. You recently celebrated your one year anniversary, how was your first year?
Kyle: I think you can always look back and wish you would have done a few things different, but we use that to keep improving on what we started. We can’t be more thankful to the Kenosha community for all the support we received in our first year!
Q. After all the hard work you and your family have done, can you tell us what’s next for you and Tavern on 6th?
Kyle: Just continuing to build on what we’ve started. Always looking for new ways to make our business a better experience for our customers. There’s some ideas in the works and we hope to be able to showcase those soon!
Tavern On Sixth is located at 5712 Sixth Avenue
See specials and book your indoor golf outing at tavernonsixth.com
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(This article first appeared in the Downtown Kenosha Magazine Winter Vol. 15 #1 2022)
Q&A and pics by Donny Stancato
Edited by Jason Hedman
