Nostalgia rules at Nanny & Bull’s
Barton Street East bar pays homage to the homey feeling of visiting beloved grandparents.
Just three weeks after opening their bar Nanny & Bull’s on Barton Street East in early March, married couple Jeff Richards and Lexi McKenna learned how Hamiltonians rally to help.
After they closed on a Sunday night, thieves broke in and cleared out all the booze, along with a till and a safe. When Richards and McKenna shared the tale on social media, they hoped that a few more people might stop by when they reopened on Wednesday.
Instead, liquor distributors and breweries asked how they could help, selling them stock at discounts. And the place was hopping with customers all week long.
“If we had any concerns about whether people wanted us here, that ended there,” says McKenna.
Richards, who grew up in Georgetown, and McKenna, from Oakville, met in Toronto. They moved to Hamilton in 2021 and have a deep appreciation for the city.
“People in Hamilton want to give the little guy a shot. We’ve had so much support from our neighbours and across Hamilton.”
Richards, who has worked as a chef for about 17 years, and his brother Brad have always wanted to run a business together. They took the leap now, even though Brad still lives in Germany. He’s not even seen the finished space yet.
They initially had their sights set on a space further west on Barton, initially planning on a diner with “really good pie, coffee and breakfast,” says Richards. That fell through but the landlord there suggested they look at a vacant upholstery shop beside the very popular Maipai.
It needed a ton of work, not to mention an imagination to see what it could become. What they thought would take four months took a year.
Richards wanted to pay homage to his beloved grandparents. Bull died a few years ago (Richards has a tattoo of a bull on his hand in his memory) but Nanny still has a gin and tonic every afternoon at 3 p.m. Richards loved visiting them and spending time in their basement, which felt frozen in time.
So here, on Barton Street, there are plenty of vintage touches, including a 1970s freestanding orange fireplace in the Rumpus Room, a huge fish on the wall, and a mirrored portrait of Elvis.
McKenna put her branding and design eye to work, seeking a fun vibe and a cozy, warm feel at night. Everything was sourced from online marketplaces, thrifted or found, including light fixtures fashioned out of bushel baskets on the patio, which they’ve dubbed The Backyard. Richards’ parents put up the wallpaper and his dad made the shelves behind the bar.
They’ve made the most of the space they have, even fitting four small tables into what were display windows on either side of the setback front door.
There isn’t enough room for a kitchen, so they serve warm pretzels and other snacks, along with sandwiches, baked potatoes and such on a smoker/grill out back. Customers are welcome to bring in takeout from elsewhere or order delivery to the bar.
The couple is grateful that they’ve been busy since opening.
“There are lots of people in this neighbourhood but not a lot of places to walk to,” says McKenna. She and Richards live just 800 metres away.
Nanny & Bull’s are hosting bingo nights that are selling out and starting up a new vinyl sell and swap nights they’ve called the Wednesday Wax Club.
All the wine is from Ontario and the beer is local. That was the plan long before tariffs, trade wars and Elbows Up.
The couple urges you to consider a neighbourhood date night: Maipai for dinner, the Playhouse Cinema for a movie, and Nanny & Bull’s for a drink.
When they hired their staff, they put less emphasis on experience than they did on bringing in friendly people who would make everyone feel welcome. Just like Nanny & Bull were known to do, says Richards.
“This isn’t pretentious and no one will feel intimidated or that they aren’t cool enough to be here.”
