Imagine cheering on a nail-biting NCAA women’s basketball championship, only for the TV to have no sound, drowned out by men’s baseball. That was the tipping point for Jenny Nguyen in 2018, when Notre Dame’s Arike Ogunbowale sank a game-winning three-pointer, and Jenny and her friends erupted in an otherwise confused sports bar.
That moment of frustration sparked an idea: “The only way we’re ever going to experience women’s sports in the way it should be is if we had our own place,” she said. Four years later, in April 2022, Nguyen, a Vietnamese American chef, made it happen, opening The Sports Bra in Portland, Oregon – believed to be the world’s first bar exclusively dedicated to women’s sports.
From Doubters to Dollars: A Bold Bet Pays Off
Getting The Sports Bra off the ground was no small feat. Nguyen faced vocal naysayers who claimed “nobody watches women’s sports” and struggled to secure funding as an unemployed chef during the pandemic. She emptied her savings and launched a Kickstarter campaign on Valentine’s Day 2022, hitting her $48,700 goal in just eight days and ultimately raising over $105,000.
Eight months after opening, The Sports Bra surpassed $1 million in sales, silencing the critics and proving that there was indeed a massive demand for spaces celebrating women’s athletics.
The Sports Bra is more than just a bar; it’s a carefully curated haven. Nguyen, a proud queer woman and first-generation daughter of refugee parents, infused her personal experiences into every detail. “I’m queer, a woman, I’m part of the Vietnamese community, and a first-generation daughter to refugee parents,” she shared. “There are a lot of intersections in my life. In having this opportunity to build The Sports Bra, I’ve also had this opportunity to be intentional about creating a space that I felt good in, and that a lot of people want to be in.”
The menu includes “mom’s baby back ribs,” a traditional Vietnamese thịt kho recipe, and “Aunt Tina’s Vietnawings,” a fish sauce wing recipe. Details like gender-neutral bathrooms, spirits from women-run distilleries, and decor celebrating female athletes all contribute to a space where “athletes come in here saying they’ve never felt more seen,” Nguyen noted.
National Expansion: Alexis Ohanian and the Future
The undeniable success of The Sports Bra has now caught the eye of big players. Alexis Ohanian, Reddit co-founder and Serena Williams’ husband, has invested in the bar, propelling its expansion plans. “The Sports Bra has proven to be a lot bigger than just the four walls of our bar and restaurant. It’s found its place in a movement—a movement that takes women’s sports to a whole new level,” said Jenny Nguyen. “Now, we are taking the next big step. It’s time to invite others to join our team to bring The Sports Bra to communities across the country.”
The bar is now officially offering franchise opportunities, seeking passionate individuals who align with its mission of supporting women and girls in sports. Nguyen has heard from hundreds of interested parties across the U.S. and beyond, emphasizing that “there is enormous demand for more places like ours.”
Fueling the Golden Age of Women’s Sports
The Sports Bra’s rise mirrors a broader surge in women’s sports. Viewership and attendance records are consistently being shattered. The Paris 2024 Olympics will feature an equal number of male and female athletes for the first time in history, and leagues like the WNBA are seeing unprecedented engagement.
Nguyen vividly recalls the past challenges: “I remember having a hard time finding content for our TVs. Two years later, we don’t have enough TVs. We don’t have enough time in the day to show all the women’s sports that are available.” She believes The Sports Bra plays a role in this positive shift, helping to “elevate women’s sports fandom.”
The momentum is “unmistakable,” with more women’s sports bars opening and traditional venues also increasing their coverage. “We’ve absolutely shown that there is the demand, and we simply don’t have the supply for all the demand in our space,” Nguyen stated.
Initially, Nguyen’s biggest dream was to have a dozen locations in metropolitan cities. Now, with The Sports Bra’s brand growing to include merchandise and sponsorships, she admits, “Clearly, I didn’t dream big enough.”
