Jodene Ruiz de Chavez twirled on the small dance floor at Bernell’s on a recent Thursday evening, letting the saxophone and electric guitar carry her away.
“When I hear the blues, it’s almost like it’s in my soul,” she said. “I just can’t help but respond… the beat comes on, and I dance. It’s like it’s calling to me.”
The energy is strong inside Bernell’s, which opened in November with a mission of offering a space in Madison centered around women’s sports. Bernell’s owner, Rita Adair, sought to honor the legacy of her late wife, Bernell Hooker, a longtime women’s sports advocate and collegiate basketball coach.
“It was something she dreamed of and talked about often — having a women’s sports bar,” Adair said. “She passed away with that dream.”
Women’s sports bars have been popping up across the country in recent years, part of what Adair calls a broader movement to elevate women’s athletics and ensure equitable visibility and opportunities. Bernell’s faces a unique balancing act: honoring the building’s deep blues music history while creating a vibrant space for women’s sports fans…