For years, former executive chef Jenny Nguyen has been joking with her girlfriend Liz about opening a bar called a sports bra. The fictional venue is dedicated to one of their common passions, women’s sports.
“We were always joking about it. But one day I was trying to figure out how to give back to the community. My girlfriend said,” You know, we Has always joked about sports bras. Nguyen said to know your value. “In my dreams, it never succeeds.”
On April 1st, Nguyen opened The Sports Bra, Portland’s first women’s sports-focused bar.
“We are a sports bar like any other sports bar. We serve pub food and drinks. With great care, there are only female athletes hanging on the walls and on the TV,” Nguyen said. rice field.
The bar also has alcohol and beef from companies owned, operated or created primarily by women in the Oregon area. The bar furniture was built by Girls Build, a local construction non-profit organization for young girls.
Men and women gather in a 40-seat area in Portland’s Broadway Junction district to have a drink and interact with women in soccer, golf and trucks. Sports bras are backed by national media coverage and a warm community, Nguyen said.
The rise of women’s sports in the media has helped the bar’s mission. Nguyen said she does not remember that women’s sports were broadcast when she was young. However, with millions of viewers focusing on women’s sports, more options are available on television and other platforms. Sports bras are ready to offer it all.
“Women’s sports are getting more airtime than ever before, and there’s also a fan base that’s been hidden in the shadows for a long time,” Nguyen said. “Honestly, I’m starting to wonder if I should have made a bigger bar,” she said.
Passion from childhood
Nguyen grew up playing basketball in Portland, where sports became a well-established part of her identity. Not only did she like to play, she also provided a smoke screen to those who doubted her sexuality.
“I’m gay, and I haven’t gone out yet. When I leave the courtroom, I’m asked when my boyfriend will come, but once I step into the courtroom, no one cares. I was so popular because I was an athlete and I was too busy to date a boy, “Nguyen said.
But Nguyen’s dream of playing basketball professionally was shortened at the age of 19 when she broke the ACL. Crushed, she had to find a new way.
Nguyen decided to pursue the food he learned from his mother. She worked as a flyer at a local Red Robin restaurant. After more than 15 years of her career, she eventually became Bon Appetit’s executive chef.
However, Nguyen has always had a love for women’s sports. Among her friends, the concept of sports bra came to the fore, but it was a dream. In 2018, Nguyen and her friends are watching the NCAA tournament between Mississippi and Notre Dame, calling Nguyen one of the greatest games in history. But they were all swarming around a small television with no sound.
The concept of a sports bra “started as a joke. In my mind, it’s a place for friends to watch sports,” Nguyen says. “But when I opened the actual space, I wanted to make more impact.”
Bold business movement
Nguyen left Bonapetti three years later and said he wanted something that wasn’t a “company.” After she played awkwardly for a while, she decided to launch a bar in 2020. In addition to broadcasting sports, it can also serve as an event or conference space.
“I wanted space to take care of the community and make it a safe place. I need to be deliberate about it, which makes it difficult, but I think it’s I knew it was worth it in the end, “Nguyen said.
Nguyen knew nothing about finances or entrepreneurship at the time. In fact, she didn’t even have a credit card. But when she began discussing her plans with the wider Portland community, she found a herd of like-minded supporters of her. She initially felt embarrassed to post a Kickstarter that demanded $ 48,000 for her initial project costs, but she eventually raised $ 105,000. She was finally able to open the bar door.
Since then, sports bras have fascinated members of the LGBTQ community and sports enthusiasts who have longed for a space to gather, but that’s not all.
“It resonates with so many people looking for space and communities, not just sports fans, but women,” Nguyen said. “Just put out the welcome mat.”
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