Famed music and cocktail joint The Junk Bar begins a new chapter in New Farm
The Junk Bar is an institution beloved by many. In addition to the Ashgrove locals that called the Waterworks Road haunt their second home, the hole-in-the-wall has long been a go-to favourite for cocktail connoisseurs and a cherished outlet for musicians and live-music fans. Almost immediately after original owners Mia Goodwin and Jamie Trevaskis opened The Junk Bar in 2010, the joint was regarded by all comers as the gold standard for what a suburban bar should look and feel like.
It was The Junk Bar’s undeniable importance (and the intrinsic qualities that made it so special) that encouraged Dylan and Karen Proctor to purchase the bar in 2020 after Mia and Jamie put it up for sale.
“It just felt like a different world,” says Dylan. “It felt like you walked into this amazing little retreat or an oasis. Everyone was just so friendly and Mia was such a great host. You’d forget about all of your problems once you walked through the door.”
Dylan and Karen – alongside senior staff including business manager Michael Graham, venue manager Breah Robilliard and events manager Fraser Bell – have been custodians of the institution’s legacy for the past few years, navigating the venue through the dark days of Covid-19 and ensuring it remained a reliable spot for sippers and gig goers.
However, when the team couldn’t come to an agreement on a lease renewal, Dylan and Karen made the difficult decision to relocate The Junk Bar after 13 years of operation. As any Junk Bar regular will tell you, the Ashgrove venue boasted a one-of-a-kind feel – something that wouldn’t be easily replicated elsewhere.
“A lot of people who would come in would say to me that it feels like they’ve just walked into somebody’s house,” says Breah. “I think that comfort aspect was something that everybody was on the same page about maintaining in the new space as well.”
As it turns out, the exact spot the crew sought was ready and waiting in New Farm. Located on the corner of Brunswick Street and Annie Street, the two-level space – once upon a time home to The Alibi Room (and, more recently, Taj Mahal Indian Cuisine, which has relocated to Merthyr Road) – had the right mix of character and functionality to suit The Junk Bar’s specific needs.
“I had been here in the old days, the Alibi Room days, and I remembered there was a really cool space downstairs and they had some really good beers on tap,” recalls Dylan. “It was a bit of a no brainer – we’ve got two bars next door and The Valley is just up the road. And it’s such an iconic building, we really wanted to give it a new lease on life.”
Throughout October, as the team wrapped up operations in Ashgrove, work was underway in New Farm rearranging the floor plans on both levels. The result of this process was officially unveiled on Saturday February 9, with long-time fans and curious newcomers flocking to check out The Junk Bar 2.0.
Upstairs sits The Junk Bar proper, furnished as always in an eclectic mix of pre-loved furniture and vintage decor, with the iconic record player also positioned near the bar. The room’s rustic heritage elements are accented by a deep-green colour scheme, which gives the space an intimate ambience both day and night.
“I think a really charming aspect of Ashgrove was that it was intimate and we had all of these things like beaded curtains and soft lighting,” says Breah. “It was like when you go to an old whisky bar – it’s all smoky and mysterious. And we’ve maintained that feel across both levels.”
Breah oversees The Junk Bar’s beverage offering and has gamely combed through and condensed the menu, streamlining the list while maintaining the high standard of execution that earned the venue praise from the jump.
“I think that Mia and Jamie did such a fantastic job of building something so special and that really sets us apart from any other venue in Brisbane,” says Breah. “People come for our cocktails and you can’t find them anywhere else. There’s a lot of fun, flamboyant and really creative drinks, but they’re still quite sophisticated, interesting and tasty.”
On the cocktail front, many long-time Junk Bar signatures remain, including The Log Lady (Fireball cinnamon whisky, fresh orange, lemon and maple syrup, topped with choccie biscuits and cinnamon sugar) and the Chilli Choc Martini (house-made chilli chocolate mix, Kahlua, Galliano vanilla, creme de cacao and cream). The venue’s wine list has been expanded, however, while six new beer taps dispense a mix of craft and mainstream brews alongside a clutch of cans and bottles.
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The venue’s freshly refitted kitchen is overseen by Graham and Jodie Dillon, operators of popular food trucks Bill’s Burgers and El Corazón. Currently, the offering includes a range of crowd-pleasing options, from shareable serves of cheeseburger spring rolls and sweet potato croquettes, to pizzas and birria tacos. The menu is expected to evolve, with rotating specials set to be introduced soon.
Downstairs has been converted into the Skukum Lounge, complete with its signature North American-style log cabin aesthetic. The 120-pax live-music space has received a number of upgrades, including a bigger stage, new sound system and mixing equipment, plus plenty of soundproofing to ensure the best live-music experience possible. Fraser is responsible for booking The Junk Bar’s calendar of events and is relishing the chance to cement the Skukum Lounge as a reliable venue for all kinds of events from local and interstate acts, and a place for punters to catch some truly special performances.
“[The Skukum Lounge] was always a place where you’d see some really incredible acts performing – it really had a soul,” says Fraser. “We are quite lucky because it’s such an inviting space and you can really have a lot of variety in the line-ups. Solo performers and singer-songwriters do really well, but then it also lends itself to being a really packed-out room for a rock night.”
Additionally, a dedicated bar will ensure guests can replenish themselves without having to miss any of the action. While currently the Skukum Lounge pours a similar array of drinks as upstairs, the team will look to give both bars a distinct offering in the near future.
“We are thinking about setting it apart from upstairs to really distinguish between the two areas,” explains Breah. “Like running a slightly different cocktail menu that is more like a whisky-bar style, oriented towards really delicious built-on-the-rocks cocktails.”
Towards the end of our conversation with Dylan, Fraser and Breah, the topic shifts towards the state of Brisbane’s live-music scene in 2024. The Junk Bar’s importance to budding Brisbane artists isn’t lost on Dylan and the crew, especially with other beloved venues shuttering in recent months. The mammoth task of relocating was propelled by a keen awareness of the significance of venues of The Junk Bar’s size to independent artists trying to break through.
“It’s nice to be a part of the underground scene of Brisbane music,” says Dylan. “It all starts in spaces like downstairs or the old Junk Bar. It’s like this place where magic and dreams can come true for a lot of people. We want to keep the Skukum Lounge name alive.”
“That’s why it was so special that we were able to relocate in the first place,” adds Breah. “We’ve witnessed the loss of a lot of really iconic music venues in Brisbane – it’s been really hard on the music scene. When we lose those medium-range and small places, it takes away the launching pad for artists.”
“If we weren’t able to continue, it would make an already difficult Australian music scene even more difficult. Given the options that Dylan was presented with, I think it’s so amazing that this is the outcome.”
The Junk Bar is now open in New Farm. Operating hours and contact details can be found in The Directory.