Newspaper Page Text
She Stmes
gainesvilletimes.com
Midweek Edition-December 28-29, 2022
Rachel Estes Features Editor | 770-718-3421 | life@gainesvilletimes.com
‘We’ll be dancing in Gainesville soon’
Photos submitted to The Times
Artist renderings depicts the forthcoming Bourbon Brothers Smokehouse and Tavern Boot Barn Hall under construction in
downtown Gainesville. The development is slated for completion in spring 2023.
Downtown tavern, music hall nearing completion
The 8,000-square-foot restaurant boasts a rooftop patio and second-floor bourbon bar
designed to convey the same sensation as an intimate speakeasy.
Drawing inspiration from the architecture of Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. in downtown
Louisville, Mudd’s hometown, the venue in downtown Gainesville is designed “to replicate the
era of the original square,” which was substantially damaged in the tornado of 1936.
BY RACHEL ESTES
restes@gainesvilletimes.com
Some boots were made
for stomping, and they’ll
soon be scuffing up the
dance floor in downtown
Gainesville as Bourbon
Brothers Smokehouse and
Tavern and Boot Barn
Hall nears completion at
312 Jesse Jewell Parkway.
“We’ll be dancing in
Gainesville soon,” said
Bob Mudd, president
and chief operating offi
cer of Notes Live Devel
opment Company, the
parent company of the
restaurant and music hall.
The restaurant is slated
to open in late April or
early May, with the music
to follow shortly there
after “to eliminate any
risk of booking artists
and having construction
delays,” according to Mudd.
Daily purveyors of
American breakfast, lunch
and dinner fare, the forth
coming Bourbon Brothers
Smokehouse and Tavern is
staged to house the largest
smoker in northern Geor
gia, according to Mudd,
offering a variety of options
from “the pit” — including
brisket, smoked sausage,
baby back ribs, smoked
pulled chicken and mus
tard glazed pulled pork.
For carnivores stumped
by such a decision, there’s
the Bourbon Brothers Clas
sic Sampler: 1 pound each
of pulled chicken and pulled
pork, a half pound of brisket,
a link of andouille and pol
ish hot sausage and choice
of four sides served along
side honey jalapeno corn-
bread and whipped honey
butter — “a feast to share,”
according to the menu.
The tavern also offers
appetizers like crispy
fried pickles and bacon
mac and cheese egg rolls,
salads and chili, while its
entrees run the gamut from
bacon-wrapped meatloaf,
bourbon glazed salmon —
caught fresh and flown in
daily, according to Mud —
shrimp and grits, chicken
fried steak and jambalaya.
But perhaps the most
popular menu offerings
amongst patrons of Bourbon
Brothers’ Colorado Springs
flagship are those served
during brunch hours on Sat
urday and Sunday. Avail
able in Gainesville once
the tables are set, the menu
includes $20 bottomless
cocktails, build-your-own
omelets, eggs benedict, bis
cuits and gravy and chicken
fried steak and eggs.
The 8,000-square-foot
restaurant boasts a roof
top patio and second-floor
bourbon bar designed to
convey the same sensation
as an intimate speakeasy.
On the main level, a full
service bar with retractable
windows is designed to open
to an 8,000-square-foot patio
equipped with four estate
fireplaces in addition to a
small music stage aimed
to host live entertainment
“probably nine months out
of the year,” Mudd said.
Based in Colorado
Springs, the Gainesville tav
ern and music hall are the
company’s second to grace
the United States. A third
location is slated to break
ground in early 2023 in
Murfreesboro, Tennessee,
with additional locations in
the Dallas-Fort Worth area
and Oklahoma City to be
announced within the next
90 days, according to Mudd.
Drawing inspiration
from the architecture of
Kentucky Peerless Distill
ing Co. in downtown Lou
isville, Mudd’s hometown,
the venue in downtown
Gainesville is designed
“to replicate the era of the
original square,” which
was substantially dam
aged in the tornado of 1936.
“A lot of the architecture
reflects that time period,”
he said. “I was really keen
on making sure we were
replicating the look and the
feel of the old downtown
square. I’m super pleased
with how that’s turned out.”
Inside the 18,000-square-
foot Boot Barn Hall shar
ing the 1.7-acre property,
Mudd anticipates hosting
two ticketed shows each
week in addition to corpo
rate and private events.
The space, which
will be complete with
■ Please see DANCE, 4D
Hanging on to
gooa memories
for upcoming year
This past year, it seems that I spent most of the
time taking big steps over jutted holes where my
foot stopped just short of another rut. I’d balance
for a moment, thinking how to clear the next hole.
Though it’s metaphorical, it’s a pretty good
description. I managed to
sidestep all the mud holes
and ruts but it has been
exhausting. It was all little
stuff. I recall few because
most weren’t important
enough to remember. I can
only bring to mind the grim
ness of the road’s journey.
While few tears fell, the
smiles were also sparse.
For a year, Tink and I had
planned to go to London for
the Queen’s Jubilee, celebrating her 70 years on
the throne. We both admired her kindness and
dedication to duty. Too, she was a constant in a
world that has so little of it.
When I was a kid, playing in discarded prom
dresses, Mama would smile broadly as she
watched me gently hold up the skirt and walk
regally around the yard.
“You look like you’re goin’ to see the queen,”
she’d remark.
Queen Elizabeth became a link that Mama and I
enjoyed sharing.
In America’s Appalachian South, the queen had
two devotees who were born of Scotch-Irish blood
lines that the queen’s grandfather, King James,
moved from Scotland to Northern Ireland in order
to pepper County Antrim with Presbyterians
among the Catholics.
Forty years later, some of them caught a boat
coming from Ireland, then disembarked in Penn
sylvania. They kept moving down the Appalachian
trail until they settled in the lower Carolinas and
Georgia.
Usually, when Scotch-Irish have a falling out,
they stay “fell out,” but that wasn’t our case with
Queen Elizabeth and her parents. World War II
changed that. They were brave and the queen’s
father, George VI, was a remarkable king, most
remarkable because he wasn’t raised to be king.
The months leading up to the June celebration
were filled with a long road of those ruts and juts.
“Yes, I’m going,” Tink said until the end of Feb
ruary when he began to have doubts.
“I want to go but I may need to stay home and
work. I’m not sure.”
My heart fell but I was determined. “Then,
I shall go by myself. I went to Princess Diana’s
funeral by myself.”
And, I would have. But about a month before
the trip — with Tink still uncertain — I asked my
friend, Myra, if she would go if Tink didn’t.
“Absolutely! Even though I’ve already told my
friends that I was going nowhere this year. But how
can I pass up a celebration of the queen?”
Thirteen years ago, the Christmas after Myra
had been cruelly widowed due to a heartless brain
tumor, she and I went to London for Christmas. It
was cold, glittering, and television-movie-perfect.
Our trip in June was equally soft with memories,
joy and kindness. Everyone in London loved their
queen so much that they rejoiced in having her.
She united her people. She brought smiles.
From Hyde Park, we watched as jets released
red, white and blue smoke. In Windsor, we
attended a respectful church service where nary
a child ran around screaming, and in every place,
we talked to Brits about how much their queen
meant to them. And to us.
Three months later, she died. Somewhat unex
pectedly. I had always said I would go to her
funeral. Tink urged me to go. He is always kind and
generous. But I couldn’t. Why?
Her Jubilee in June felt like being wrapped in a
toasty goose comforter on a chilly day. No juts or
ruts in the road. Just beauty.
I want to lovingly nestle those sweet memories. I
didn’t want them to be sullied by a funeral’s tears.
That was a very good lesson I taught myself this
year: Keep the happiness close.
Ronda Rich is the best-selling author of several books,
including “What Southern Women Know About Faith.”
Sign up for her newsletter at www.rondarich.com. Her
column publishes weekly.
RONDA RICH
southswomen@
bellsouth.net
EVENTS
No School Nature Day. 10 a. m. to
noon. Dec. 28. Elachee Nature Sci
ence Center, 2125 Elachee Drive,
Gainesville. 770-535-1976. $10.
Holly Jolly Trolley Tours. 5:30-10 p.m.
Dec. 29-31. Wilshire Wonderland of
Lights, 849 Wilshire Road, Gaines
ville. 770-531-5500, lshubert@
gainesvillega.gov. Free.
New Year’s Eve Watch Service. 10
p.m. Dec. 31. Cornerstone of Faith
Ministries, 3 First St., Gainesville.
470-208-1110, cornerstoneoffaith.
event@gmail.com. Free.
Elachee 2023 First Day Hike. 10 a. m. to
1 p.m. Jan. 1. Elachee Nature Sci
ence Center, 2125 Elachee Drive,
Gainesville. 770-535-1976. Free.
Polar Bear Plunge and Paddle. 11
a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 1. Lake Lanier
Olympic Park, 3105 Clarks Bridge
Road, Gainesville.770-287-7888.
$30-$60.
Elachee Virtual Science Night. 7-8
p.m. Jan. 3. Elachee Nature Sci
ence Center, 2125 Elachee Drive,
Gainesville. 770-535-1976. Free.
Mommy and Me Nature Program.
10:30-11:30 a.m. Jan. 4. Elachee
Nature Science Center, 2125
Elachee Drive, Gainesville. 770-
535-1976.
Saturday Explorations at Elachee.
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 7,21,28.
Elachee Nature Science Center,
2125 Elachee Drive, Gainesville.
770-535-1976.
HeritageQuest Online for Genealo
gists. 10:30 a.m. to noon. Jan. 10.
Gainesville Branch Library, 127
Main St. NW, Gainesville. 770-532-
3311 ext. 4011, info@hallcountyli-
brary.org. Free.
Winter 2023 Master Naturalist Program
Series. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 11.
www.elachee.org/event/winter-
2023-master-naturalist-prog ram-
series, 2125 Elachee Drive, Gaines
ville. 770-535-1976.
Introduction to Computers. 2-4 p.m.
Jan. 20. Hall County Library Sys
tem, Gainesville Branch, 127 Main
St. NW, Gainesville. 770-532-3311,
gkoecher@hallcountylibrary.org.
Free.
ONGOING
Lanierland Duplicate Bridge Club. 10:30
a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. 3042 McEver
Road, Gainesville. nedcleber@gmail.
com.
YogaFit Gentle Yoga. 11:30 a.m. to
12:30 p.m. every Wednesday. Black-
shear Place Branch Library, 2927 At
lanta Highway, Gainesville. 770-337-
1572, dl9345@bellsouth.net. Free.
Murrayville Library Lego Club. 5-6 p.m.
first Mondays of the month. Murray
ville Library, 4796 Thompson Bridge
Road, Gainesville. 770-532-3311
ext. 171; bhood@hallcountylibrary.
org. Free.
Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Group.
5:30-6:30 p.m. first Tuesdays of the
month. Grace Episcopal Church,
422 Brenau Ave. NE, Gainesville.
727-409-6608, charlenebestdewitt@
gmail.com. Free.
Gold Rush Quilting Guild. 10 a.m. to
noon first Wednesdays of the month.
Friendship Baptist Church, 3513
Westmoreland Road, Cleveland, ale-
nekempton@gmail.com.
Turning Leaves Book Club. 11:30 a.m.
to 1 p.m. first Wednesdays of the
month. Linwood Nature Preserve
Ecology Center, 118 Springview
Drive, Gainesville. 770-535-8293,
karin.hicks@uga.edu.
Northeast Georgia Writers. 1 -3 p.m.
first Wednesdays of the month.
Gainesville Downtown Library, 127
Main St. NW, Gainesville. Talltales-
writer@gmail.com. Free.
Card workshop. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. first
Saturdays of the month. Hall County
Library System, Gainesville branch,
127 Main St. NW, Gainesville. 770-
532-3311 ext. 4011, gkoecher@hall-
countylibrary.org.
Ekphrasisforthe Masses. Noon to 1
p.m. second Tuesdays of the month.
Quinlan Visual Arts Center, 514 Green
St. NE, Gainesville. 770-536-2575,
info@qvac.org. Free.
War Stories Book Club. 4-5 p.m. sec
ond Thursdays of the month. Murray
ville Branch Library, 4796 Thompson
Bridge Road, Gainesville. 770-532-
3311 ext. 171. Free.
Discovery Saturdays. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
second Saturdays of the month.
Elachee Nature Science Center, 2125
Elachee Drive, Gainesville. 770-535-
1976. $3-$5.
Georgia Cross Stitchers. 10 a.m. to
4:30 p.m. second Saturdays of the
month. Hall County Library System,
Gainesville Branch, 127 Main St.
NW, Gainesville. 770-532-3311 ext.
4011; gkoecher@hallcountylibrary.
org. Free.
Homeschool Day. 10 a. m. to 12
p.m. third Thursdays of the month.
Elachee Nature Science Center, 2125
Elachee Drive, Gainesville. 770-535-
1976. $15.
Gainesville Lacers. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
third Saturdays of the month. Hall
County Library System, Gainesville
branch, 127 Main St. NW, Gainesville.
770-532-3311, gkoecher@hallcoun-
tylibrary.org.
Tea with Jane Austen: A Reading
Group. 3-4 p.m. fourth Fridays of the
month. Hall County Library System,
Gainesville Branch, 127 Main St.
NW, Gainesville. 770-532-3311 ext.
4011, gkoecher@hallcountylibrary.
org. Free.