Front of house
Brunswick Sports Club is the latest opening by Bull & Roo Hospitality and Investments’ duo Tom Arnel and Sergio Lopez. Launched in March 2016 at the Sheraton Hotel Mall of the Emirates, Arnel and Lopez wanted to create a laidback sports bar, where all are welcome and feel comfortable, whether they are wearing flip flops and shorts or a suit.
Arnel begins: “We wanted to create a place that was inviting, casual, cool, light, airy, homey, laidback. Somewhere we’d go to and fit in that isn’t pretentious or glamourous.”
He adds that their design philosophy is “no gimmicks, nothing forced, and taking inspiration from the surroundings”. The name for the 124-seat venue comes from Brunswick in Melbourne, an area known for its independent retail and F&B venues. Arnel says the area “epitomises the arty, foody lifestyle culture.”
The design brief fell to Melbourne-based design team The Residency Studios. Arnel remarks: “These guys helped us come up with a concept, styled around an old-school Melbourne boxing gym.”
According to Lopez, the decision to employ an agency outside of the Middle East was driven by the desire to gain “a different eye, and a different perspective.” The other inspiration came from Brooklyn, New York.
Once The Residency Studios had created an initial design, Arnel and Lopez employed locally-based designer Julian Floyd from Yamjam studio. Floyd tells Caterer Middle East that his aim was to create “a very effortless stripped, raw, urban interior that not only complimented the sports bar offer but continued Bull & Roo’s hipster style and brand. The key elements of the space were led by working with the existing potential of the site”.
“You can see [the outlet] is quite raw, quite industrial,” Arnel confirms, sharing that this will help it “age well” compared to using leather and velvet, for example.
Lopez adds: “We always like to keep the beauty of the building. This is why most of our concepts are open ceilings, concrete, and the wall that we found.”
One part of the venue is decorated with plants to “create an outdoor feel,” explains Lopez, pointing out the row of Brooklyn-inspired windows fitted in the courtyard area. The result achieves natural light during the day, and night-time darkness during the evening, just like in an outdoor space.
Brunswick’s furniture was custom-made and the oak tables store condiments, so that eye level is not obstructed, Lopez reveals. The 1970s and 1980s memorabilia, and pages from vintage magazines, adorning the walls was sourced from flea markets and shops in Brunswick.
“We have people buying for us who know what we actually want,” Arnel says.
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