The QC is an incredible place to work, live and play

An affordable cost of living, great ground-level business opportunities, a thriving arts and music scene, a welcoming local community — these and other winning factors merge to make the Quad Cities a great place to live, work and play.

Born and raised in Moline, Rozz-Tox café/performance venue owner Benjamin Fawks returned to the Quad Cities after living in China for nearly a decade. He chose to launch Rozz-Tox in Rock Island, a major city with a thriving arts and culture scene located on the Mississippi River.

“I like Rock Island because it's a small, diverse city surrounded by water with lots of green space and wonderful homes,” he says. “I like that my alderman and economic development director are customers and that I can arrange a sit-down with the mayor, but maybe most of all, that I can afford to live and work in the same building and still have money to live and travel.”

Likewise, Kyle Peters found plenty of economic support when he brought the Daiquiri Factory to Rock Island almost two decades ago, and recently opened a second location in Davenport. 

“I was 23 when I opened, and there were a lot of incentives to do business in the downtowns,” he recalls. “Both sides of the river offer programs to help young entrepreneurs get started, and the cost of entry isn’t prohibitive. It’s a unique market. If you come here with an open mind, are willing to be adaptable and strive to understand the Quad Cities ethos, you can be successful.”

Newcomers to the region enjoy a blend of big-city amenities and small-town sociability, along with a deep collection of restaurants, music venues, arts outlets and cultural attractions. As an added perk, navigation is quick and convenient, making it easy to get from one side of the metro to the other, or from downtown to rural country, in less than 30 minutes.

“You can find whatever you’re looking for here — nightlife, breweries, great live music, upscale to lowbrow bars, a diverse food culture,” says Jason Parris, co-owner of Wake Brewing in Rock Island. “The art scene is amazing. We have everything from the Figge Art Museum offering installations from world-renowned artists to Rozz-Tox with pop-up shows featuring local artists.”

“I think we're doing our part to bring quality artists to Rock Island from all over the world, and when they see this space and this community, they’re always impressed,” Fawks says.

Its easily accessible location on I-80 between several major metro areas makes the Quad Cities an attractive stop for big-name touring musicians and theater productions.

“We’re able to bring in a lot of great talent, from up-and-coming bands to well-established performers,” Peters says.

All three business owners believe that young professionals and entrepreneurs who give the Quad Cities a try won’t be disappointed.

“I was born and raised in Davenport and I’ve traveled all over the U.S.,” Parris says. “I love the Quad Cities region. It’s a humble, hard-working place with a ton of hidden gems. We are a culturally diverse community and proud of it.”

- Rozz-Tox and Wake Brewing images provided by Quad-City Times