QuoteFreebird Live, the Jacksonville Beach bar, concert venue and institution, is in the process of being sold and becoming Surfer the Bar. Surf Concepts, a company associated with Salt Life Restaurant Group, would run Surfer the Bar. But Greg Said, managing partner of Salt Life and Surf Concepts, said he would be a tenant, not the owner.
He said he's not allowed to say who has the building under contract to buy it.
Surfer the Bar is affiliated with Surfer Magazine and currently has only one location, and that's at the Turtle Bay Resort in Kahuku, Hawaii. But in 2013, Surf Concepts signed a contract with Surfer Magazine's owner to develop 12 locations for Surfer the Bar on the East Coast and West Coast.
http://m.jacksonville.com/business/2015-09-18/story/freebird-live-become-surfer-bar#article=6798A5E41F223B13DE7615DF13B9CB24A46C (http://m.jacksonville.com/business/2015-09-18/story/freebird-live-become-surfer-bar#article=6798A5E41F223B13DE7615DF13B9CB24A46C)
A shame Jacksonville will be losing one of its most unique concert venues. As someone who has seen 30+ shows at the Freebird dating back to my high school years, this is a tough pill to swallow.
Hopefully the new bar is something worthwhile, but the cynic in me thinks the location is going to be a revolving door of one mediocre overpriced concept bar/restaurant after another.
Agree with you 100%. Freebird wasn't the perfect place but certain bands really seemed to come alive there and there were some really fun shows. Looking at the other Surfer Magazine bar in Hawaii- I hate to be negative but good lord- it's so boring. Surfing is neat, I get that but to take a fun, unique concert venue that people love and turn it into a place with the vibe of an ethan allen showroom that touts surfers giving slideshows as their biggest draw? Blech. Plus a $14 california roll? Hahahahaha