Since 2015, the Lulie Tavern has cemented itself as an iconic pub and a destination for live music in the Abbotsford community, and the venue is now celebrating its 10th anniversary.
Embarking on a decade of unforgettable music events and community spirit, co-owner Jon-Lee Farrell says the Lulie Tavern has come a long way from what he describes as the “little warehouse garage rock’n’roll bar” he opened all those years ago.
“One turntable, a little back bar of our favourite whisky, pool table and dart board. Locals and local musicians would come and spin records on weekends and slowly over the next few years our audience grew,” he told Australian Hotelier.
In 2018, the pub was relocated from Lulie Street to Johnston Street due to apartment redevelopment. Building a stage and booking more bands saw the venue grow more and more, before the team undertook a refurbishment of the space.
“[When our original building was knocked down for development] we held a memorial at the bar as a homage to our first home, and to our surprise dozens and dozens of our original customers came by and ate, chatted and drank the night away. It was pretty special to see so many of our original customers that have since moved to different areas, had families, still followed the bar and saw it as an opportunity to get back.
“In 2022 we completed a massive renovation by ripping off the roof and putting a new one on top, complete with an outdoor rooftop saloon. It seems crazy to look back and think where we started, but everything has felt organic and making the right moves at the right times despite a few massive changes along the way,” says Farrell.
Leaving a lasting impression
What started as a passion project quickly became a local’s pub with strong ties to the local music and arts scene. According to Farrell, the team kickstarted the Lulie Tavern’s live music offering the only way they knew how – keeping it small, local and free.
“We grew the venue’s offering with the bands as they grew – starting with a small little sound system and eventually building it into a great live PA, stage and lights.
“We’ve never stopped doing free shows since we started and I think it’s been pivotal in growing ours and the local music scene. People can rely on coming to Lulie to catch a show at least three nights a week, free of charge, and use it as a tool to discover great music. It also gives a platform to bands, especially emerging ones, to launch, play and take the pressure off selling tickets,” he stated.
Over the years the Lulie Tavern has been established as a staple in the Melbourne live music landscape, so much so that Shania Twain once celebrated her tour after party at the pub.
“We initially turned them down as a venue to host the party, but were swiftly corrected by our staff that we needed Shania to come to Lulie,” Farrell recalls.
“It was a great night, all her band and crew partied hard, played pool and Shania sat amongst her people, sipped tequila sodas all night and gave a few speeches. It felt pretty special to have her in here, especially given she and the band picked the venue.”
That was just one of many memorable moments over the last decade – from the opening of the Full Moon Fever rooftop bar in November 2022, to the launch of LuliePalooza.
“During lockdowns we started ‘Van with a Can’ – delivering fresh keg beers and cocktails to between 40 and 60 households every Friday. We kept a connection with the surrounding suburbs, within a safe distance of course, and in some ways developed a closer relationship with some of our locals that we still see most weeks in the tavern,” says Farrell.
“We then launched LuliePalooza in October 2021, the week the final lockdown was lifted – a dream that we’d had since 2015. 2024 saw the fourth annual instalment of the growing festival including bands from across Australia and overseas.
“From our first week to ten years on we still receive gifts from patrons… Old bar memorabilia, music posters. They come in and say they found it in the garage and thought of Lulie. This always warms the heart, that people share a little bit of them and want it in their local bar.”
Some patrons have even gone as far as naming their child after the beloved venue.
“A friend of the bar once called to let us know that his friends, who have since moved to Brisbane, used to come to Lulie as their local and once their child was born, the name had to be Lulie,” Farrell added.
Lulie Tavern anniversary celebrations
From Monday 31 March to Sunday 6 April, the pub will host a week-long celebration extravaganza to commemorate its past. The celebrations kick off with an attempt at hosting the world’s biggest ‘Split the G’ Guinness challenge with 225 patrons.
Throughout the week, patrons can expect a special edition all-stars pool competition with a $500 bar tab up for grabs, food and drink specials, free live music, a birthday disco, family friendly party and the revival of Lullie’s popular country music night, Heartache Tonight.