Editor’s note: This video aired on Thursday, June 6.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Although CMA Fest is wrapping up Sunday night, there were plenty of memorable moments in Music City over the course of the festival, including the first day.

For example, on Thursday, June 6, not only did country music royalty Dolly Parton kick the morning off at Fan Fair X, but rock legend Jon Bon Jovi opened the doors to his new restaurant and bar, JBJ’s Nashville, now known as the tallest building on Broadway.

The front man for the Grammy Award-winning band that shares his last name has roots that run deep in Music City due to his frequent collaborations with Nashville’s artists, songwriters, and recording studios that have led to some crucial career moments for Bon Jovi, but he said he finally has a place to call home.

“These are my people. You know, if you think of Hollywood as the actors’ community, Nashville is the musicians’ community. Seems wherever you go, there’s another great writer, another great player, somebody aspiring to have their own bar on Broadway someday, and I’ve been attracted to that for 35 years now,” Bon Jovi explained.

A press release about the venue described JBJ’s Nashville as a “state-of-the-art fusion of rock ‘n’ roll and country” brought to 405 Broadway by Bon Jovi and BPH Hospitality, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nashville-based Big Plan Holdings, to offer “an electrifying space full of delicious fares, delectable cocktails, and revolutionary live music.”

What was once the second to last piece of undeveloped real estate in Nashville’s historic Lower Broadway district is now the tallest and second largest venue on the strip by square footage. JBJ’s Nashville has just under 37,000 square feet of premier entertainment space perfect for private parties, corporate events, live shows, and much more. JBJ’s Nashville is five stories tall, boasts two outdoor rooftops, and offers unparalleled views of downtown fronting both Broadway and 4th Avenue.

JBJ’s Nashville has a three-tiered, state-of-the-art stage – designed in part by Jon Bon Jovi – along Broadway.  From brand and logo development to memorabilia archived, and menu curation to interior design, Jon has been a fundamental driver of the incredible venue that so many around the world have been patiently waiting for.

With a focus on elevated dining and Bon-Jovi-inspired cocktails, JBJ’s Nashville is a culinary destination for locals and tourists alike.  Guests can expect a wide variety of uniquely curated appetizers, salads, burgers, sandwiches, exceptional entrees, and delicious desserts.  The cocktail menu features the crowd favorites, “Tommy” and “Gina,” and the “Shot Thru The Heart” and “Steel Horse” shots are “guaranteed to blow your mind!” 

Press release about JBJ’s Nashville

Even though JBJ’s Nashville didn’t hold its official grand opening until Saturday, June 8, NewsNation local affiliate WKRN got to check it out when it opened Thursday afternoon, just in time for CMA Fest. Bon Jovi’s band said they had come to the bar — which was built on a parking lot — in hard hats for so long that seeing it complete felt like Christmas morning.