New renovations bring in the crowds. At least that’s the way it is at the Jolly Fox. Located on Sam Houston Avenue, the Jolly Fox has been serving Huntsville for many years.
With attendance steadily slipping, George Stentzos and Co-owner Charles Parks knew that this was the right time to make the much needed renovations to their bar.
“We knew it was time for a renovation,” Stentzos said. “It has a different feel to it now. It feels like a bar in the Woodlands, or in Midtown or Downtown Houston.”
After two weeks of back breaking labor and several thousand dollars later, The Jolly Fox has re-opened it’s doors with a style all its own.
“It took almost two weeks of working from 8 a.m. to 2 or 3 a.m.,” Stentzos said. “It was like Monster makeover.”
By tearing down several walls and taking the top part of the bar off, Stentzos said they wanted the club to feel more open, a look they achieved.
“We opened up the place and by taking the top part of the bar off, we replaced it with four 42 inch high definition Plasma screen TV’s that are suspended in the air,” Stentzos said. “We wanted people to be able to see the game from every spot in the bar.”
A new 15-foot bar was put in; with lights surrounding it to give it a color wash effect and a new stage is sure to bring in more bands.
“We put in a new stage that is larger and wider to accommodate bands,” Stentzos said. “The new bar has its own uniqueness.”
Long time patron senior, criminal justice major, Bryan McClellan, say this bar was in serious need of change.
“The Fox used to be the spot to be, but then it became the spot not to be,” McClellan said. “It has now become the place to be again.”
With various sports playing on the TV’s, McClellan said the bar is not the same place it used to be.
“This past Saturday, they were playing the USC fight,” McClellan said. “That wouldn’t have happened if they didn’t have the big TV’s.”
In addition to having the channels tuned to the USC fight, March Madness will be playing this month along with the upcoming baseball season.
By renovating the bar, Stentzos feels that his hard labor with the renovations is paying off.
“We have had enormous crowds the past few days,” Stentzos said. “People have been coming out of the woodwork, many of them I have never seen before.”
Renovation is not the only thing that’s changed at The Jolly Fox; ladies now do not have to pay a cover, ever.
Taking the bar from a ‘honky-tonk, dance hall joint-feel’ to a more modern and upscale bar, Stentzos says they have a lot of nights planned to bring in customers.
“This Tuesday night beginning at 8 p.m. is quarter night. We will have $.25 wells and $1.50 longnecks,” Stentzos said. “We also are throwing a Spring Break blowout party-Jolly Fox Style this Thursday night starting at 7 p.m. We will have $1 wells and longnecks; $2 hurricanes and imports; and $3 premiums.”