Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood open Lower Broadway honky-tonk in Nashville
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Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood are finally joining the "neon neighborhood."
- Their honky-tonk, named after Brooks' underdog anthem "Friends in Low Places," officially opened Thursday. At 54,715 square feet, it now stands as the largest honky-tonk on Lower Broadway.
Why it matters: Brooks is one of country music's defining artists, and the sprawling four-story complex evokes all of the scale and drama of one of his stadium shows. (His touring team set up the audio and lighting for the main stage.)
- It also incorporates Yearwood's legacy. She curated the menu, which is full of dishes she made famous in her cookbooks and on Food Network.
There's a two-story honky-tonk space, a rooftop bar, an event space and a small members-only club.
- The complex also includes a neighboring police substation developed in partnership with Nashville police.
The intrigue: Perhaps the biggest surprise is that it took so long for a Brooks-themed honky-tonk to arrive downtown, where bars named after the genre's biggest stars have become the norm.
- "Nobody's country music career has been bigger than Garth Brooks, and he should be represented on this street," Yearwood tells Axios.
- Brooks and Yearwood say they see the new establishment as a way to thank the fans and city that made them successful.
State of play: Brooks says it took two years and a lot of work to make it to opening day. "It's a lot of money in, and a lot of hours in," he told reporters.
- He and Yearwood were involved in the design, construction and concept. (Yearwood went into the kitchen to show the staff how to make her apple pie recipe.)
- A new docuseries on Amazon Prime captured the process, which also included Max and Benjamin Goldberg and the team from Strategic Hospitality.
What she's saying: Yearwood says the Goldberg brothers' involvement was key. Strategic Hospitality has some of the city's most celebrated restaurants in its portfolio, including Locust, Bastion and The Patterson House.
- "I trust them," she says. "They're so well-respected in this town. Because they do it right."
Zoom in: Brooks teased Easter eggs throughout the bar that would delight diehard fans.
- For instance, fans who want to taste the couple's wedding cake can sample a reproduction of the original sour cream pound cake recipe that Yearwood's mother made for them in 2005.
The bottom line: Brooks tells Axios he feels at home in the honky-tonk, and he wants everyone else to feel just as comfortable. He repeatedly stressed the importance of establishing a fun and safe oasis.
- "This world is in a nasty place right now. Build a place where people love one another — that's what we want to do here."
If you go: Friends in Low Places is open 11am-2am Monday through Friday and 10am-2am on Saturday and Sunday.
- It is located at 411 Broadway.
