Jacksonville is about to get a much-needed update to its LGBTQIA+ scene. And it’s coming in the form of an expansive bar and nightclub in the heart of downtown’s urban core.
Hardwicks Bar will be the first club to open in 20 years that caters to the LBGTQIA+ community of Jacksonville, according to WJCT. Owners Tim Hoal and Elias Hionides expect the new business to open sometime in March of 2023, which will be located at 100 E. Adams St.
One aspect of the project is to create more foot traffic in the central downtown district, also known as “the Elbow,” which has suffered from the loss of the Landing, as well as the pandemic’s crippling effect on the area. The new concept hopes to “infill The Elbow District,” said Hoal in an interview with the Jax Daily Record.
The location was previously home to the popular Burro Bar and The London Bridge Pub. Renovations to the building have included a smaller back bar where the restaurant Chomp Chomp operated, according to Jax Daily Record.
In the recent interview, Hoal indicated that Hardwicks will open its doors next year but continue to make improvements—expanding its space and eventually allowing for live DJs, drag shows, and other kinds of entertainment. Before that, the space will be more intimate, with a design including photography, artwork, and books as well as the exterior “Mediterranean Revival-style architecture” of the building that dates back to the early 20th century.
Additionally, Hoal stated that Hardwicks will integrate both indoor and outdoor space, using roll-up windows to blend both areas and allow for scenic views of downtown, including the beautiful Jessie Ball duPont Center across the street.
Not so ironically, the bar itself is named after Taylor Hardwick, who designed what is now the duPont Center.
