Jimmy’s Music Club will reopen at the end of summer 2025.
Jimmy’s is one of the more venerable and well-loved music clubs in the city. Located in the Carrollton neighborhood at 8200 Willow Street a block off South Carrollton Avenue, Jimmy’s is top-of-
Jimmy’s iconic logo. Source: Jimmy Anselmo
mind for many New Orleans music lovers and has been for almost 50 years as it presented some of the most beloved performers in New Orleans and American music history (see just a couple of posters for the club below). The new owner of the building as well as the music club is Christopher Jones, who announced the reopening on social media:
“16 years ago, I stood at the door of this venue for my first job in the service industry. I was 18, hungry to learn, and had no idea what impact this place would have on me.
Today I bought the building [April 29, 2025].
The venue that helped launch my journey is now mine — and I’m bringing it back to life. We’ll be renovating it and reopening this iconic space as the legendary Jimmy’s Music Club, a name that’s been part of New Orleans since 1978.
We’re bringing back the the spirit, the sound, and the soul — with a modern twist. Grand reopening end of Summer 2025.
Thank you to everyone who’s been part of the ride so far. This one means a lot.
Let’s make history — again.”
Jimmy Anselmo received OffBeat’s Best of The Beat Lifetime Achievement in Music Business and opened the club in 1978 (first performers were Little Queenie & the Percolators), closed it post-Katrina in 2005, and leased the space to several operators (as he still owned the property), that included The Frat House and The Willow. The last iteration of the club was The Willow that operated from 2014 and recently closed its doors.
Jimmy’s has an enduring fan base — the venue has several Facebook groups online that demonstrate the interest in the club (I Attended Concerts At Jimmy’s Music Club in New Orleans, with 45,000 members; and Bring Back Jimmy’s Music Club with 2,100 members). The club was also the subject of a documentary.
“I graduated from high school in 2007 and started working the door at The Frat House in 2008, so working at the building that housed Jimmy’s was my first experience working in the service industry. I’m very well aware that it was a popular college bar, and I believe in that area it’s going to be successful. You know, there has to be a level of entertainment provided for college-age individuals. It’s a tricky situation because you can enter an establishment that sells liquor at 18, however you cannot purchase and consume liquor unless you’re 21. We’re just not gonna cater to anything specifically like underage drinkers [subsequent bars like The Frat House and The Willow were reported by neighbors as condoning underage drinkers]. I don’t condone underage drinking, or anything like because I’m pretty big on rules—obviously you have to be that way or you can’t stay in business.
“I was a reserve officer with Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office so I mean staying in line and following rules is embedded in my DNA. I’ve got a thick skin, too, because you need to have one in the bar or club business for sure, and I’ve been in it for a while. This is actually my fourth concept that I’ve owned because I used to own the Tasting Room on Magazine Street, and then I owned a bar on Veterans in Metairie. I owned The Basin in Lakeview for a little while and then now this is the fourth one.
“When I heard about the property and business being up for sale, I said ‘Wow, oh yeah!’ because I knew the potential. I’m very well aware of numbers we used to do, but times change—but you know, there’s still a lot of potential for that building. I’m also a general contractor and a real estate developer, and the real estate interested me and as well as the duplex that conjoins the club property (at 1324-26 Dublin St.), where we plan to put a restaurant, by leasing it to an outside restaurant operator. I think as far as the real estate investment standpoint, there’s a lot left on the table and I think with the addition of the restaurant, you know, there could be a cool utilization of that patio.”
In terms of music, Jones is still sussing out what kind of entertainment will work at the new Jimmy’s Music Club. Jones definitely want to appeal to target audiences, and is still doing his research on the best entertainment offerings and booking contacts, which could range anywhere from deejays, comedy, and live music, of course.
