After closing in 2011, The Bridge, formally known as The Underground, will open its doors again in early October. Along with receiving a new name, owner Sean Hudkins said the concert venue cafe has undergone changes to its menu and interiors.
“We are going to have a scaled down cafe consisting of drinks, shakes and coffee,” Hudkins said. “The Bridge will be a place for people to study, talk, play games, watch Netflix or whatever they want to do.”
The 130-year-old building was in need of a facelift, according to employee Kelly Beggs. Construction and renovation plans included new paint for the walls, an improved heating system and a new stage and lighting system. Beggs said that despite the updates, The Bridge will still have the same homey feel as The Underground.
“My friends used to go to The Underground all of the time just to study,” junior Amanda Emmet said. “It’s a lot bigger than other places in town, and it’s easier to study there because it’s more relaxed and you can get coffee.”
Within the next several months, Hudkins said he plans on opening the concert venue portion of The Bridge. In addition to showcasing local talent, The Bridge will host bands from the Memphis and Little Rock areas. Hudkins said he wants to continue featuring Harding musicians as well.
“It has a great atmosphere for playing live music because it’s a place where students are welcome to come and relax and get a break from life on campus,” junior Kolton Thomas said. “Also, my style of music is more in the acoustic genre, which fits the setting of [The Bridge] because people can still have conversations and get coffee and eat, while my music serves as background music.”
Other plans for the space include yoga and Zumba classes, as a part of Zion rock gym, and conference space for community organizations.
According to Hudkins, his main goal for opening The Bridge is to provide a safe and inviting environment for the Searcy community.
“We’re hoping to make it more of a place where we can connect Harding with the community,” Beggs said. “It’s so easy to just make it a Harding place because there are so many people, but we don’t want it to feel like a place where only Harding kids go. Instead, it can be a place to bring your family.”
The Zion rock gym is still fully functioning and open daily 6 p.m to midnight. Hudkins said starting out The Bridge will be open 6p.m. to midnight as well.
