Auckland country bar Jolene reopens with new tavern licence, live music until 3am
Co-owner Jesse James says the country bar's brief closure was never meant to be a marketing stunt - but it got plenty of traction anyway. Photo / Jesse James
An Auckland country-themed bar has reopened after shutting up shop following a turbulent few weeks.
Jolene, a Western-inspired bar on Ponsonby Rd, taped up its windows last week and shut its doors “until further notice”.
The move came after it was hit with a $250 fine for operating under a restaurant licence as Auckland Council had concerns the bar was trading as a bar and live music venue.
In a social media post on Tuesday, Jolene bar said they received their appropriate licence and were back in business.
Co-owner Jesse James told the Herald they were never planning to close for good and were expecting a new licence from Auckland Council.
“We closed the doors until we got our tavern licence, until we could be the proper country bar we always wanted to be.
“We opened Jolene under a restaurant licence, and unfortunately we weren’t allowed live music or dancing, which was tough for a country music bar.
“We want neon lights, super fun, line dancing, live music, all of that good stuff.”
An Auckland Council licence manager previously told the Herald the $250 fine had no impact on the bar’s ability to trade so its closure was a voluntary act. They added an application to amend Jolene’s liquor licence to become a tavern was recently lodged.
“It wasn’t meant to be a huge marketing stunt. We just shut the doors until further notice,” James said.
“We rode with it, and it got a lot of traction.”
Jolene can stay open until 3am with the new licence.
“We’ve got an extra hour, and our dream was always to be this kind of five-star country dive bar that celebrated music and just a fun environment for everyone.”
A change in licence isn’t all that’s new, it appears the bar’s owners might be looking to expand south.
On May 11, James and his co-owner George Williams registered Jolene Bar Christchurch Limited.
James declined to offer any more information.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, bro. No comment. That’s an exclusive for another day.”
The reopening comes weeks after James made headlines for appearing to mock a recently opened rival venue on social media, describing the North Shore Goldie’s Bar & Yard as a “Temu” version of their own Western-inspired establishment.
James addressed the controversy, telling the Herald people have called him a “cowboy” for teasing the bar but it was “in good faith” and just friendly banter.