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Longtime restaurant and bar to return to Charlotte

After 30 years, Nickyo’s Rodeo is returning to the Queen City, serving as a South End hub for dancing, live music, and karaoke.

A rounded bar with vertical tiles in the center of a space under construction with a painted American flag in the background on a wall.

Nickyo’s Rodeo will boast an indoor stage, plenty of dancing space, and an outdoor courtyard.

Photo via The Plaid Penguin

For longtime Charlotteans, the name may sound familiar. For new residents, the news is just as exciting. Nickyo’s Rodeo, a beloved restaurant and bar once located in Eastover, is opening this spring in South End.

Valerie Brewer and Britton McCorkle, the partners behind Bottle Cap Group, spent many nights at Nickyo’s. The business ran from 1985-1994, serving as both a business hub and a place to let loose and sing karaoke.

“The original Nickyo’s was really an amazing place, and not just for its time,” says McCorkle. “Bringing it back for the Charlotte of today – to be a place for living life to the fullest – is a goal we had and something we’re very excited to be able to do. We will do our best to make Nicky and Bessie [the original owners] proud.”

A painted wall with a cowboy on a bucking horse.

The decor at Nickyo’s Rodeo will give Western vibes and nods to the original restaurant.

Photo via The Plaid Penguin

The new location at 120 W. Bland St. will boast an indoor stage for karaoke and live music, a DJ booth, an expansive courtyard to feature an additional bar, an area for live music, and food trucks.

The new venture will “tip its hat” to the original Nickyo’s with Western cowboy decor and witty illustrations spread throughout the 8,600 sqft space.

Saddle up, an exact opening date is TBA. Be sure to follow us on social media to plan your next rodeo.

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