Ep. #42 The Story Behind Rough & Tumble Pub: Seattle's 1st Women's Sports Bar, ft. Jen Barnes
In Ep. #42, Caroline sits down with Jen Barnes, the Founder & Owner of Rough & Tumble Pub - Seattle's pub for women's sports. In this episode, hear Jen tell the full story behind creating the second sports bar in the world made specifically for women's sports.
When Jen couldn’t find a bar or any place outside her living room to watch the 2021 OL Reign’s semi-final playoff game, she was inspired to create a space for women's sports fans. Rough & Tumble opened in the Seattle neighborhood of Ballard in December of 2022. With 18 screens and space for more than 160 people, Rough & Tumble has become a go-to sports bar for all fans of all ages to join us to watch ALL the sports.
The team at OL Reign described Jen Barnes as: "The driving force behind all of Barnes’s work is simple – she’s an unrelenting advocate for gender equity, women athletes, and women’s sports. A natural leader, she has experience in many fields, including HR, marketing, operations and finance. Her impressive resume, along with the support of the community has spurred the success of Rough & Tumble. With particular support from the Seattle Storm, OL Reign, and Washington’s collegiate teams, Rough & Tumble has truly become the women’s sports hub in Seattle."
In this episode, hear Caroline interview Jen to hear the full story behind her entrepreneurial journey to create of Rough & Tumble Pub, and how Jen is working hard to level the playing field one pub, one game, and one cheer at a time.
Full episode available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Amazon Music.