JBGB scheduled to re-open as JJ’s Live in the fall

Courtesy photo

JBGB has been closed for more than a year now, but the brewery, restaurant, venue, and hang-out zone is set to come back with a new building and a new name later this year.

The restaurant originally opened in the spring of 2017 as a new destination for craft brews and summer concerts, but the business closed in late 2019 with hopes of enclosing the patio area to allow for more frequent live music.

The pandemic derailed those plans for more than a year, but the restaurant recently announced that construction had begun on enclosing the outdoor space for live music.

In February, it was announced that Fort Worth-based company MAG Capital Partners, LLC had acquired the property at 3615 N. Steele Boulevard, and would lease it back to the restaurant.

Owners Jody and Myriah Thornton today announced the venue will be renamed as JJ’s Live when it reopens, and gave a few more details on their plans for the re-opening.

“As we near the light at the end of the tunnel, we are excited to announce that we are rebranding JBGB as JJ’s LIVE,” Thornton said. “In our heart, we are still JJ’s. It’s the great food, great service, great atmosphere, and live music that got us here.”

Thornton said that he wanted to enclose the space to eliminate weather-related cancellations of the music venue, and utilize the stage area in more than just the warm summer months.

“JBGB opened in 2017 with a winning combination of great food, great service, in-house brewery, adult games, and huge outdoor entertainment area that included NWA’s premier live music amphitheater,” he said. “We realized that outside conditions – “too hot, too cold, too wet, too noisy” – affected turnout. For JBGB to succeed on the scale we envisioned, we needed to conquer the ‘toos.'”

Thornton said the expanded restaurant will include a larger live music lineup of local, regional, and national touring acts year round, along with other additions including a 16′ x 12’ TV for watching sporting events, a Pickelball Court, a Duck Pin Bowling area, and other amenities.

Construction is on schedule, and is expected to be complete this fall, he said.