Iconic Zoxx 411 Club Bar Near GM Plant in Janesville Demolished

The bar, a longtime thorn in GM's side, outlasted the automaker's plant before finally being razed.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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For decades, the Zoxx 411 Club Bar in Janesville, Wisconsin, was a popular hangout for workers at the nearby General Motors assembly plant. Despite GM's repeated attempts to buy out the bar's owner and discourage employees from visiting, the bar remained open and thriving until the plant's closure in 2008. The bar was finally demolished last week as part of a redevelopment plan for the former GM property, which is now slated to become an $8 billion data center.

Why it matters

The Zoxx 411 Club Bar's long-running feud with GM highlights the tensions that can arise between a major employer and the surrounding community. The bar's resilience in the face of GM's efforts to remove it also speaks to the importance of local businesses and the role they can play in shaping a community's identity, even in the shadow of a large corporate presence.

The details

GM repeatedly tried to buy out the bar's owner, Roy Zachow, and even fired him at one point in an effort to get him to sell. The company built tall fences to try to keep workers from visiting the bar during their lunch breaks, but many would simply climb over the barriers to get there. Despite GM's attempts, the bar remained open and popular with plant workers until the facility closed in 2008. The Zoxx 411 Club Bar was finally demolished last week as part of a redevelopment plan for the former GM property, which is now slated to become an $8 billion data center.

  • The Zoxx 411 Club Bar was founded at an unknown date, but had been in business for decades by the time GM's Janesville plant closed in 2008.
  • GM repeatedly tried to buy out the bar's owner, Roy Zachow, over the years, including offering $96,000 in the 1960s and $200,000 in 1987.
  • Roy Zachow was fired from his job at the GM plant, which the Zachows believe was due to his refusal to sell the bar.
  • The Zoxx 411 Club Bar was finally demolished on February 26, 2026, as part of the redevelopment of the former GM property.

The players

Zoxx 411 Club Bar

Also known as Zachow's and the Zoxx Social Club, this bar was a longtime hangout for workers at the nearby General Motors assembly plant in Janesville, Wisconsin.

General Motors (GM)

The automaker that operated a large assembly plant in Janesville, Wisconsin for nearly a century. GM repeatedly tried to buy out or discourage workers from visiting the nearby Zoxx 411 Club Bar.

Roy Zachow

The owner of the Zoxx 411 Club Bar, who refused to sell the property to GM despite the company's repeated efforts to buy him out.

Geri Zachow

Roy Zachow's wife, who recounted the history of the bar's feud with GM in interviews.

Andrew Sigwell

The latest owner of the Zoxx 411 Club Bar, who sold the property in 2020 before it was ultimately demolished.

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What they’re saying

“They offered us $96,000, but we were doing much better than that. We were making good money right from the start.”

— Geri Zachow, Co-owner of Zoxx 411 Club Bar (The Janesville Gazette)

“They paid for his trip over there, but he told them he wouldn't take less than $500,000. I think he probably would have taken $350,000. He came back, saying, 'Those bastards will never get the bar.'”

— Geri Zachow, Co-owner of Zoxx 411 Club Bar (The Janesville Gazette)

“It's just sad. It was a part of history.”

— Andrew Sigwell, Former owner of Zoxx 411 Club Bar (Autoweek)

What’s next

The redevelopment of the former GM property in Janesville, including the site of the demolished Zoxx 411 Club Bar, is expected to continue over the next several years as construction on the $8 billion data center project progresses.

The takeaway

The long-running feud between the Zoxx 411 Club Bar and GM highlights the complex relationship between major employers and the surrounding community. While GM sought to exert control over its workers' activities, the bar's resilience and popularity demonstrated the importance of local businesses in shaping a community's identity. The bar's eventual demolition marks the end of an era, but also underscores the ongoing transformation of Janesville as it adapts to the changing economic landscape.