Published by Cel Manero from Global One Media Inc.
“I noticed there isn’t much comfortable seating at bars for someone of my size, so I made sure to include it,” Combs shares with a chuckle in an interview with PEOPLE.
Leave it to Luke Combs to introduce actual recliners at his new Nashville venue.
“There’s not much comfortable bar seating for someone of my size, so I made sure to include it,” Combs confesses with a laugh during a chat with PEOPLE, just moments before his sold-out Big Kickoff Concert at Category 10 earlier this month. “I made it happen!”
The 5 Leaf Clover Sports Bar boasts 18 recliners, eight large-screen TVs, and a real-time sports ticker that spans the entire room.
“A lot of times when I’m with family or friends, I just want to enjoy the Nashville experience,” says Combs, who performed later that evening, delighting the Category 10 crowd with hits like “Hurricane,” “When It Rains It Pours,” “She Got the Best of Me,” and “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma.” “I figured others might appreciate having a bit of calm amidst the chaos that Nashville can be.”
Category 10 now joins the ranks of high-profile Nashville venues, with stars like Luke Bryan and Miranda Lambert also having their names attached to local hotspots. However, when Luke Combs collaborated with the Opry Entertainment Group to create Category 10, he was determined to ensure his bar stood apart from the others.
“There’s this area that feels like a high-end bourbon lounge,” Combs, 35, explains of The Still, an intimate and elevated lounge on the second floor. “When I come here, that’s where I can bring friends or family. They can enjoy the bar and all that, and I can still be present.” He chuckles, adding, “I can’t exactly jump onto the dance floor like everyone else, as much as I’d love to. But it’s nice how you can have so many different vibes in one place.”
The five floors of Category 10 also showcase a collection of personal memorabilia from Combs’ career that had been stored away until now. “This is a great spot for them to be displayed,” says Combs, who is also featured in a major exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. “I love that people get to see and enjoy these items. As a fan myself, I think it’s amazing to see the memorabilia of the artists I admire.”
Despite all the attention on his memorabilia, Combs admits he still finds it hard to believe anyone would be so interested in his personal items. “You never think you’d end up in this position,” he reflects, sharing that parting with the NASCAR hood he was featured on, which now hangs in Category 10’s 5 Leaf Clover Sports Bar, was “a tough give-up.” “But I’ve come to embrace it now.”
Some of the most meaningful pieces in Category 10 are the black-and-white family photos that line the hallway leading to the expansive 10,000-square-foot rooftop, now known as The Eye. “I’m an outdoor guy, and I love being outside, so on a nice day, the rooftop would definitely be the spot I’d enjoy most here,” says Combs, who is nominated for Entertainer of the Year and Male Artist of the Year at the 60th annual Academy of Country Music Awards on May 8.
It’s also no surprise that Combs had a hands-on role in creating Category 10’s menu. “I love the trout,” he says of the pan-seared trout entrée, which comes with lemon sage butter, warm black-eyed pea salad, and microgreens. “Trout isn’t something you’d think about, but it’s really good. And I love the burgers, plus the ranch flight (which includes buttermilk ranch, cayenne ranch, and avocado ranch). I wanted the menu to be big-guy friendly.”
