Brothers Bryan and Jamie Kenney, the brothers behind Wedgewood-Houston bar Never Never and the founders of Tusk Brothers Entertainment, have revealed details about the new concepts heading to the historic Ernest Tubb Record Shop space at 417 Broadway. They have been working toward an opening since late 2023, when they began working with the Tubb family to restore the landmark.
Now, the spot is nearing completion. The space will open its doors in the fall, featuring three separate bar concepts in the four-story space, according to a release. The ground floor will feature two bars, each with a live band and stage. Decorations will include keepsakes and elements of old Texas decor. The second floor will feature an authentic recreation of the record shop and will have live performances. The third floor will act as an event space for specialty shows, and the fourth level will feature a rooftop honky-tonk bar.
The entire concept will be built around honoring the original record shop, which opened in 1951. At night, it would transform into a performance space for musicians, including Loretta Lynn, Hank Williams, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley. The design of the space, spearheaded by Dryden Architecture + Design, will center around original memorabilia and keeping the spirit of the space alive. The Kenneys have also rolled out a program called the Nashville Music Collective, which allows community members to invest a small amount in the space and own a piece of the record shop.
“We’ve been entrusted with such an important piece of Nashville history, and feel that we’ve become stewards of Ernest Tubb’s story and legacy,” Jamie said in the release. “Through the Nashville Music Collective, our intent was to carve a path for members of the community to claim a little piece of it as their own – whether they feel a special kinship with the shop, or simply want to be a part of its ongoing story.”
The Kenneys feel a personal connection to the space and its musical mission, which has spurred them along in the revitalization project.
“We’ve always felt like this project was bigger than us,” Bryan said in the release. “It’s our opinion that Ernest Tubb Record Shop belongs to Nashville, belongs to the Tubb family, and belongs to a nation of country music fans and visitors who came through the space for more than 75 years. We felt this was our chance to help keep it that way. That’s why we wanted to work alongside Dale Tubb and the Tubb family, and that’s why we started the Nashville Music Collective — to ensure we honor the legacy of Ernest Tubb and the impact that the record shop has had on Nashville. We come from a long line of musicians, and we both share a love of history, so the opportunity to play a part in ushering Ernest Tubb Record Shop into its next phase felt too good to be true.”
