With the goal of opening this year, sports bar Jolene Jolene would provide a space for women’s sports to be played on TV. 

Owner Chelsea Fishman, a Dacula High School alum, grew up watching soccer and went on to play soccer collegiately at Colorado Christian University.

“While there wasn’t as much access to women’s sports back then as there is today, I still followed them,” Fishman said. “I went to Atlanta Beat (a former Women’s Professional Soccer team) games and watched the USWNT on TV during the World Cup. I’m also a lifelong supporter of Chelsea FC — fittingly, since I was named after them, so I didn’t have much of a choice.”  

The idea for Jolene Jolene was sparked by one of Fishman’s experiences in 2023 surrounding the growth of women’s sports.

“In 2023, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the Women’s World Cup in Australia, where I participated in an equality summit featuring trailblazers like Billie Jean King, Brandi Chastain and other pioneers of women’s sports,” Fishman said. “It was one of the most inspiring experiences of my life and sparked the idea of creating a space that fosters meaningful and empowering conversations.”

Fishman also said being in a line of work with a focus on women’s sports helped grow her interest in lessening the unfairness in sports.

“I’ve always known I wanted to own my own business one day, but the vision started to take shape when I worked for a women’s sports apparel company,” Fishman said. “That role gave me insight into the business side of women’s sports and deepened my passion for advancing equality in the industry.”

The first women’s sports bar opened up in Portland, Oregon in April 2022 and goes by the name ‘The Sports Bra.’ Fishman said seeing that it was capable of succeeding in other parts of the country showed her that she could do it in Atlanta.

“When I saw women’s sports bars starting to open across the country, I knew this was the perfect way to bring that vision to life,” Fishman said. “And so, ‘Jolene Jolene’ was born—a space dedicated to celebrating women’s sports and the community that surrounds them.”

Similarly to Fishman, the owner of The Sports Bra, Jenny Nguyen, got the idea when she saw the unfair airtime women’s sports were getting on TV’s in other sports bars.

“[I got the idea for The Sports Bra] in April 2018, when a large group of friends and I went to a sports bar to catch the NCAA National Championship basketball game of Notre Dame vs. Mississippi State,” Nguyen said. “The game was out of this world—an incredible comeback from behind and a last second three pointer from Arike Ogunbowale to win it all—that really sparked my idea. We watched that game on the smallest screen at the bar with no sound on, [but] that game deserved to be on the biggest TV with the sound on.”

Madison Dohman, who has worked at The Sports Bra for two and a half years and is the bar manager, said the space that these bars provide is one unlike any other.

“In Portland, queer spots are very far and few between and this was one of the few that was around,” Dohman said. “I’ve also always been a big sports fan. I grew up playing basketball and softball, I played baseball with the boys for years. It’s always been just like a really important spot for everybody I think.”

Jolene Jolene has hosted a couple of pop-up events around the city for major games. Alex Young grew up playing and watching basketball and was in attendance at a watch party hosted for the Atlanta Dream playoff game. She said Jolene Jolene was different from other sports bars.

“[Jolene Jolene] was an exciting environment that felt like it was the beginning of a budding community of women’s sports fans, regardless of your background,” Young said. “[It was a] really warm, welcoming atmosphere, which is not always typical for a sports bar experience.”

Fishman said the watch parties have helped further her efforts because of the support they have shown.

“[The pop-ups] have honestly been the best part of this whole thing so far,” Fishman said. “Our biggest event was easily the women’s soccer gold medal match watch party for the Olympics. Hundreds of people showed out in their USA gear. It was so much fun! We’re excited for more events in the new year and then obviously all the watch parties we will have at Jolene Jolene.”

With a goal of focusing on women’s sports teams based in or around Atlanta, Young said the bar will grow the atmosphere surrounding women’s sports in the city.

“[Jolene Jolene] is going to instill a sense of community in the women’s sports space in Atlanta,” Young said. “It’s hard to find places to watch the women’s game, and Jolene Jolene will certainly help in starting to make women’s sports a topic of conversation among casual and passionate fans of sports.”

Fishman said Atlanta is a good spot to open this bar because of the culture surrounding sports and the players Atlanta has produced. She is trying to promote Atlanta teams in order to raise the support for women’s teams. With this goal in mind, Fishman has determined that the bar will be open for all ages.

“Atlanta is a women’s sports town,” Fishman said. “So many icons have come from our city, and we have amazing professional teams that deserve a place dedicated to celebrating them. I have reached out to teams as well as them reaching out to me. Social media has been clutch when it comes to this, teams are very excited to partner with us, which is so cool!”

In the beginning stages, Fishman said people doubted her idea, so she had to find a supportive circle. Now, the challenge is finding the proper location.

“At first, it was difficult getting people to take me and my idea seriously,” Fishman said. “But I finally got the right people around me to help propel the idea forward. The current struggle is securing our location, [because] I’ve been very particular about where I want the bar to be, so I’ve had to be patient when it comes to finding the perfect spot.”

Nguyen said she also faced some difficulties opening up, especially trying to open during COVID-19. She said that, despite the struggles, the work was worth it in the end.

“It has been a very difficult journey and I have never loved or worked so hard at something in my entire life,” Nguyen said. “But witnessing the impact our tiny bar in Portland has had on the landscape of sports bars, women’s sports and culture in general is something that I am incredibly proud of.”

Nguyen created The Sports Bra to be a space for women’s sports to be the center of attraction. She hopes that the growth of these bars across the country will further this community.

“[My goal of these bars are] to continue to fight for equity for women and other underrepresented folks within and outside of sports,” Nguyen said. “[I also want these] to increase visibility, representation, acceptance and fandom for girls and women’s sport, [and] to continue to create spaces and experiences for athletes and fans to feel a sense of belonging, to feel seen, heard and celebrated.”

Fishman said these core values are what pushed her through the difficult parts of the developmental stages and are motivating her to open it as soon as possible.

“Some days it’s tempting to take the easier route, but I remind myself that Jolene Jolene is more than just a bar — it’s a space created to welcome and celebrate everyone,” Fishman said. “That purpose drives every decision I make, from where and how things are done to the why behind it all.”