The Daily Times

You know what I mean when I say favorite hangout. It could be a bar, a coffeehouse, a diner. And it’s not just Sam and Diane, “everybody knows your name,” — this place that feels like an extension of your living room.

Now imagine walking into a place and it already feels like your hangout. That’s what Jenny Boyd and the gang at Boyd’s Jig and Reel have managed to pull off. An atmosphere that’s warm and welcoming, a place that just feels like home. Boyd says she and her husband, Randy, were trying to capture exactly that ethos in their new establishment.

The idea sprouted during a trip to Scotland. Boyd was taking music lessons at a local pub. “My husband, on our last trip to Scotland, really fell in love with the pub that I took my lessons in,” Boyd says. They decided to see what they could do to replicate the experience. Out of that idea, Boyd’s Jig and Reel was born.

It’s located in the heart of the Old City, on the corner of Jackson and Central. The former Manhattan’s building has never looked better. The interior brick walls are vibrant, the bar has a gorgeous oaken sheen, and the vaulted skylight above the bar is sparkling clean, letting in a flood of natural light during my late afternoon visit. The place just invites you in. I actually had to catch my breath the first time I stepped through the door.

Interior remodeling didn’t stop with a good deep cleaning, either. The floors are polished, and interior window panes have been replaced with some of the original windows from Regas restaurant. And a good deal of the furniture and fixtures are from Regas and the S&W Grand. It feels like everything has come together exactly as it should. Building, furniture, fixtures — its a perfect distillation of so many great things about downtown Knoxville.

The walls are hung with a variety of musical instruments, but they’re not there for decoration. The idea is patrons take these instruments off the wall and have fun creating music together. It’s another idea that came straight out of the old country. “We like the family atmosphere that they have there. We like how anybody can come in and play,” Boyd says. “They have instruments on their walls. And I think it’s something that Knoxville just needs. We are a traditional music hub. Our music comes from Scots-Irish music.”

Boyd wants to create the kind of atmosphere that builds relationships; and, as a player herself, she hopes musicians connect at the pub. “I started at 36, and after I learned to play a little bit I was like ‘How do I find people to play with?’” she says. “You know when you’re an adult, especially, and when you’re a beginner, people don’t want to play with you, and you don’t know where to go find people. I’m hoping that bands are formed out of our pub.”

Boyd’s teacher in Scotland has given the pub an authentic gift — something that makes the pub truly Scottish. He’s written two house tunes that the pub can call its own. Boyd’s Jig and Boyd’s Reel: the sheet music is available in the pub for anyone to take home and learn. Boyd envisions patrons including these tunes in their session repertoire — the pub has open jam sessions weekly.

The first and third Thursday of every month is an Irish session, the second and fourth Thursdays are devoted to Scottish jams. Every Tuesday is set aside for bluegrass.

Boyd’s Jig and Reel is a unique experience. I don’t think there’s another hangout in the area that can replicate the atmosphere. It’s an opening and welcoming environment for everyone, and a musician’s haven. “That’s my focus, primarily, is to keep the music going,” Boyd says. “And also to preserve the building and to build the Old City up, because I think it’s a really cool area. That’s what our hopes are. And so far people really seem to like it.”

Boyd’s Jig and Reel has been softly opened for a few weeks, but will officially launch with a grand opening ceremony on Friday.

Timothy Hankins is a local musician, writer and contributor to Weekend. Contact Timothy Hankins at (weekendcolumn@hnkns.com)

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