Your First Look At Redemption Bar, Ashley McBryde’s New Non-Alcoholic Focused Bar Located Inside Chief’s In Nashville

Not bad for a girl goin’ nowhere. Of course nobody really thinks Ashley McBryde is “going nowhere” anymore. The powerhouse star is undeniably one of the most talented songwriters and vocalists in country music right now, and now she has something else to add to her resume: Her own Nashville bar. A lot of artists have their own bar on Broadway these days, but there’s a lot that makes Ashley’s new place, appropriately called Redemption Bar, different. First, it’s located […] The post Your First Look At Redemption Bar, Ashley McBryde’s New Non-Alcoholic Focused Bar Located Inside Chief’s In Nashville first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

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Your First Look At Redemption Bar, Ashley McBryde’s New Non-Alcoholic Focused Bar Located Inside Chief’s In Nashville

Not bad for a girl goin’ nowhere.

Of course nobody really thinks Ashley McBryde is “going nowhere” anymore. The powerhouse star is undeniably one of the most talented songwriters and vocalists in country music right now, and now she has something else to add to her resume: Her own Nashville bar.

A lot of artists have their own bar on Broadway these days, but there’s a lot that makes Ashley’s new place, appropriately called Redemption Bar, different.

First, it’s located inside another artist’s bar. Redemption Bar can be found on the 5th floor of Chief’s on Broadway, which of course is Eric Church’s venue downtown. The floor was formerly home to Rodney Scott’s BBQ, but not to fear: You can still get food on just about every floor of the venue, including in the Redemption Bar. (And if you haven’t had the brisket at Chief’s, you’re missing out).

Another thing that makes the bar different is that it focuses on non-alcoholic cocktails (or “mocktails,” if that’s what you like to call them). Inspired by her own sobriety journey, Redemption Bar has an extensive menu of non-alcoholic drinks that’s larger than pretty much anywhere else in Nashville.

Of course it’s not just a “non-alcoholic bar,” something a lot of people seemed not to understand when it was first announced. If you want a drink? You get one of those too. Or you can get any of the mocktails with alcohol added. But instead of going to the bar and having to specify that you want a drink to be made without alcohol, here it’s the other way around.

The space was inspired by Ashley’s own sobriety journey, something she discussed recently when she sat down for an appearance on Whiskey Riff Raff:

“Not drinking sucks. It sucks when other people are doing it and just you can’t. And it sucks when, over 1,000 days into not drinking, your brain goes, ‘You could probably, if you think about it, two fingers of whiskey, you’d probably be fine.’ And you’re like, I probably would be. I might get sick though.

You can’t even entertain this, what are you doing?”

And this evening, during a special preview of the bar, Ashley explained why it was important to her to have somewhere that people who don’t drink feel comfortable:

“The only thing that changed about me was what was in my cup. It didn’t change that I wanted to hang out, or be around people who do what I do…

On this menu, when you order something, it just comes that way. And you’re welcome to drink alcohol here too…but you’re going to have to ask for it.

You’re welcome to drink or not drink, and I think think that’s just friendly.”

Ashley McBryde's redemption bar — Whiskey Riff

If you’ve been to Chief’s before, you’ll notice that the space looks entirely different than it did just a few weeks ago. There’s a new lounge area, complete with leather couches, tucked away in the corner beside the bar. And there’s even Spanish moss hanging from the ceiling, adding to the mystical and spiritual theme of the bar:

Ashley McBryde redemption bar — Whiskey Riff

There’s also a new stage, and though it’s in a corner, it’s far from an afterthought. In fact, Ashley wants it to be the centerpiece of the room:

“The design team absolutely killed this. It’s clear that when you walk in this room, you’re here to hear songs. And I hope that other performers, as they get on this stage, they know how much thought and care went into this.”

Ashley McBryde Redemption Bar stage — Whiskey Riff

The bar, like Chief’s, is owned by AJ Capital, which was founded by Church’s close friend Ben Weprin and is a co-owner of Chief’s. And it’s clear how much thought was put into the new space by Ashley and the AJ Capital team. Like the rest of the bar is a representation of Church, Redemption Bar is a representation of Ashley, from the artwork featuring her tattoos on the wall to photos from throughout her career.

If you were skeptical about the thought of a “non-alcoholic bar,” I’m here to tell you that the Redemption Bar feels like a natural addition to Chief’s, somewhere to hang out and listen to music and get a drink – or not. That part’s up to you, and that’s what’s beautiful about it: Everyone’s welcome, because everybody needs a little Redemption every now and then.

Redemption Bar officially opens to the public on Thursday, August 28, so if you’re in Nashville, make sure to stop by and check it out.

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