Simon Rose-Hopkins, the founder of the Sydney bar Jolene’s, has spoken out about country bars across Australia relying on cliché American stereotypes to run their country music-inspired businesses.
He discussed his outlook in a new interview with Bars & Cocktails, urging country music-inspired venues to go beyond “superficial,” obvious themes, fake Nashville accents, and “outdated representations of women.”
Rose-Hopkins shared that a “themed bar” can often immediately raise a red flag as a fellow business operator, especially about the culture they’re trying to emulate and represent.
He believes authenticity – led by research and respect of cultural identity – is far more important than looking the part. Walking the walk; not just talking the talk.
“I hate the term ‘themed bar’ because it immediately gives me the impression that it’s a cheap knock-off of a concept, idea or culture,” Rose-Hopkins stated.
“It was a conscious decision Lucille and I made when we were founding Jolene’s. Why couldn’t we just be an East Nashville bar in Sydney?”
Elsewhere, he explained, “We always ask ourselves: ‘Would you see this at our reference venues? Would you see it in Texas or Tennessee?’ If the answer is ‘no,’ then we don’t do it.
“Obviously, there are concessions to be made because we’re 14,000 kilometres away. I have friends who have become family in the US, and I always think: would she yell at me if she saw this at the venue? We strive to be genuine every day.”
Check out the full interview here.
Earlier this year, Jolene’s Sydney was named the best country music bar in Australia by Countrytown’s Megan Hopkins.
In her appraisal of the venue, she wrote:
Jolene’s Sydney brings a slice of East Nashville dive bar to the Sydney CBD. Inspired by the owners’ travels to Tennessee, it actually feels like an intimate, US honky tonk with live country bands every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The bar is known for one of the best whiskey selections going around, plus happy hour specials and a simple American-style menu that keeps things easy. Open Tuesday through Sunday, it’s the kind of place that actually feels like you’ve stumbled into a proper US country bar without the long haul flight.
The walls are laced with country music memorabilia, so for any country music fan it’s a must visit.
