New bar coming to Royal building
Posted By By Jeff Helsdon
Posted 4 months ago
Tillsonburg is poised to get a new live music venue.
Norma Jean’s owner Jonathan Maurice signed a five-year lease with Shane Curtis, owner of the Royal Tavern building, recently. Curtis purchased the building from Jim Tsanoff and Aug. 29 was its last night operating as the Royal.
Maurice purchased Norma Jean’s, which is at the corner of Huron and Highbury in London, six years ago. The bar had been operation 10 years at the time.
“What we’re famous for is our live music,” he said.
Bands such as Three Days Grace, The Trews, Emerson Drive, David Wilcox and April Wine have played at the London location.
Maurice wants to use the same formula in Tillsonburg, bringing in big name Canadian bands. Typically, the prices for most of the shows is between $20 and $30.
Outside of the concerts, the plan is to have live bands Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Bands will be tribute and independent bands, rock and country.
“Basically they’re the best bands in Ontario,” he said.
Tuesday nights will be an open band night, where individuals can bring drumsticks, guitars or sing, or come as a whole band.
The same menu as in London with $3.99 pub food will be used in Tillsonburg. This includes homemade burgers, nachos and wings.
Minor renovations are planned prior to the Oct. 30 opening and Oct. 31 grand opening. These will include adding another smaller bar inside and a smoking patio out back. The basement will be kept open for private functions.
Asked what appealed to him about Tillsonburg, Maurice said there are 200,000 people within a half-hour’s drive of Tillsonburg.
“Tillsonburg has always been an independent, hardworking community, which is what you need for a live music venue,” he said. “And there’s not much (competition) around there.”
Maurice wasn’t discouraged by the economy, but admitted it was a bit of a deterrent. Still, he said Norma Jean’s sales were up 10 to 15 per cent from last year.
Curtis plans to renovate the second and third floors into bachelor, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments.
“They’re going to be nice, all wood flooring, ceramic tile flooring,” he said. “It will certainly be more modern than the average downtown apartment.”
