On May 7th, Billboard.com reported on a shocking statement from Lainey Wilson. In just a few months, Lainey’s name is going up on a major piece of real estate in downtown Nashville! This announcement came just days after country music fans on Broadway discovered that FGL House—Florida Georgia Line’s destination bar—had closed its doors for good.
Lainey won’t officially “own” the new bar, even though her name will be on it. Florida Georgia Line was in the same situation when FGL House opened in 2017.
Celebrity-branded bars have become huge in Nashville. TC Restaurant Group owns some of these bars. They license an artist’s name for the bar to attract fans to visit and spend money on food and drink.
Is Lainey a big enough star to get a celebrity-branded bar on Broadway? There is another darker side to this story. Following the tragic passing of Riley Strain in March, the Celeb Wives of Nashville shaded celebrity-branded bars in Music City.
The shocking twist in Riley’s case involved celebrity bars in Nashville. It’s now well-known that Riley and his fraternity brothers had visited several celebrity bars the night he went missing. Riley was “kicked out” of Luke Bryan’s branded bar in Nashville before he disappeared.
Broadway Bars Can be Dangerous for Unsuspecting Tourists
The full details and allegations surrounding that night remain unconfirmed. Riley’s mom alleged that he texted her and complained that he’d ordered a drink at one of the celebrity bars that “tasted funny.”
A thread appeared on the Celeb Wives of Nashville Reddit forum. Shockingly, the Celeb Wives started to talk about the dangers that unsuspecting tourists face in these bars on Broadway. One user even called downtown Nashville “a mess.” They alleged that people have slipped substances to others without them knowing it and claimed that people have been “robbed or pick-pocketed.”
On another Celeb Wives of Nashville subreddit, the OP claimed patrons showed up to FGL House during the first weekend in May to find a “closed” sign on the door. The social media accounts for FGL House have also been “deactivated,” which started a big discussion on the Reddit thread.
Shockingly, the OP alleged that FGL House was “moderately busy at best but wasn’t keeping up with” other branded bars. The Redditor even wondered if “we are starting to see the downfall of artist bars on Broadway.”
Lainey probably doesn’t care too much about anonymous users’ comments on Reddit. Her statement began by admitting how “excited” she was to announce Bell Bottoms Up, a branded bar owned by TC Restaurant Group that “will be opening later this summer.” She said she’s “always wanted to create a destination” for her fans and followers “to visit and create new memories at, in the heart of country music city.”
Lainey called Bell Bottoms Up a “permanent destination in Nashville,” which is also her “dream come true.” Lainey claimed that she “can’t wait for all my Wild Horses to get to experience my home away from home.”
FGL House Temporarily Laid Off Their Staff
One Celeb Wives user claimed to have inside information on why FGL House shut down without notice. That comment got other users chiming in.
The insider alleged that FGL closed so abruptly that staff had to be told what to do next. The user wrote, “I worked for TC [Restaurant Group] for years.”
They claimed that all artist-branded bars have “different licensing agreements.” Since Florida Georgia Line is no longer a “band,” their license wasn’t “renewed.”
They also alleged that FGL House staff were “temporarily laid off.” Ex-employees at FGL House were allegedly given the “option” to “interview” for work at the new Morgan Wallend-branded bar or “go on unemployment until Lainey Wilson’s bar opens.”
Another Celeb Wives forum member criticized the “celebrity-themed bar bubble” in downtown Nashville. They questioned, “Morgan Wallen? Lainey Wilson?”
One of the other Celeb Wives agreed that they’re tired of celebrity bars on Broadway. They added, “It doesn’t seem like there’s any sign of them slowing down.” This user also alleged they’d heard “rumors of Jelly Roll” opening a bar “from downtown industry friends,” although they couldn’t “claim any real credibility with that.”
The user also mentioned what’s already been confirmed: Luke Combs, Bon Jovi, and Shania Twain will have branded bars. That confirmation got another one of the Celeb Wives to ask where Shania’s bar was going. They added, “We need more girl power down there.”
Lainey’s Restaraunt Will Replace the FGL House
But not everyone on Celeb Wives loves celebrity-branded bars. One user confessed, “No hate to any country artist, but does anyone else miss the Old Broadway?”
The Billboard article described Lainey as a “Grammy winner and reigning CMA entertainer of the year” who is opening up a “three-story restaurant and bar in partnership with TC Restaurant Group on 120 3rd Ave. South,” replacing the “now-closed FGL House.”
Billboard also described what Lainey’s renovated bar will look like, which sounds pretty impressive! In addition to four bars and a lounge, there will be two stages, including a “first-floor stage and a dining area.”
The rooftop of Bell Bottoms Up will be “1970s western-inspired… with a dance floor, disco-inspired decor, and frozen drinks.” The “basement-level space” will be a look into Lainey’s “Louisiana roots,” including “craft cocktails” and another “live music space.”
According to Billboard, the menu will include “Cajun-inspired entrees and bar foods curated by Wilson.” Lainey is working with the “VP of culinary development” to include her favorite “salads, as well as crawfish, shrimp boils, and boudin.”
Grant Burlingame is the VP of operations at TC Restaurant Group. He claimed that they are “honored” that Lainey “trusted” them “to deliver a venue that is faithful to her story, fans, and love for country music.”
Grant seems to believe that Lainey’s bar will be a huge money-maker. He said, “Fans gravitate to Lainey” because she’s “authentic” and her personality is “down-to-earth.” Grant also calls Lainey “one of the biggest names in country music.”
He said TC Restaurant Group is “proud” to be associated with Lainey, as her venue will bring “another female artist to the forefront of Nashville’s Entertainment District.” In addition to Shania’s bar, Miranda Lambert’s Casa Rosa is one of the only other country female-themed bars in Music City.
Some Celebrities Own Their Own Bars in Nashville
However, some users on the Celeb Wives Reddit forum prefer celebrity bars owned by celebrities. One user alleged that “Garth [Brooks] and Eric [Church] actually own theirs,” and “it’s not just a licensing deal for their names.”
But is Eric’s bar, Chief’s, really safer than any other bar on Broadway? Just days after it opened, Morgan Wallen surprised onlookers when he visited and allegedly threw a chair off the roof that narrowly missed two police officers stationed on the street below.
Unfortunately, crimes and bad deeds can happen anywhere. One of the Celeb Wives alleged that “a lot of nefarious situations happen on Lower Broadway.”
Although Riley Strain’s disappearance made worldwide headlines, one of the Celeb Wives claimed that bad things frequently happen on Broadway. They just are “not common knowledge” unless you hear a personal horror story or something bad happens to you.
They alleged that “professional pickpockets operate” on Broadway, as well as “gangs of cell phone thieves.” The user even claimed that local Apple Store employees have talked to plenty of tourists who need to buy new iPhones when theirs get “stolen” after a night in downtown Nashville.
Lainey Hosted a Pop-Up Event for Charity
People Magazine reported on May 7th that FGL House was officially closed on May 6th. Lainey was excited to tell her fans and followers about her new bar in an Instagram Reel on May 7th.
PR Newswire announced in March that Lainey had collaborated on a “My Bourbon Bar Pop-Up in Nashville” in April. The pop-up included Lainey-inspired cocktails like “Wildflowers Old Fashioned,” “Buckle Up,” and “Wild Horses Manhattans,” and she helped to create the recipes. So, was Lainey just getting a taste of what branding her own bar in Nashville would be like?
As PR Newswire reported, Lainey’s bourbon pop-up was actually a fundraising event for her charity, Heart Like A Truck. “100% of proceeds from the pop-up experience” went to various causes that Lainey supports.
Lainey was “so excited” that all the proceeds would “help give back to communities and organizations across the globe.” Let’s hope that Bell Bottoms Up is just as worthwhile an experience.
