A favorite of many students, Tuscaloosa’s Harry’s Bar now boasts a new venue remodel as well as a new 21 and up age limit.

Harry’s Bar first opened in 1972 and was originally owned by Harry Hammond. After almost 35 years in the bar business, Hammond decided to sell Harry’s to its current owner, Jake French, who took over in August 2008.

“Every now and then you need to breathe some fresh air into a place,” French said. “During the remodel, we made a decision to make the bar 21 and up in order to preserve the legacy of Harry’s.”

French hopes the age change will make the younger audience enthusiastic about turning 21 and being able to experience Harry’s. He also wants of-age customers to have an of-age experience that they waited 21 years for.

“Good things are worth waiting for,” French said. “The younger crowd can hear about the legend of Harry’s from their elders, and that will add that much more excitement into coming of age in Tuscaloosa.”

During the renovation, a new bar was added inside, making a total of three, and new barstools and outside lights were were also installed.

As word of the renovation spreads, many Tuscaloosa residents seem happy about it.

“We keep hearing from everyone that they are excited about our age change,” said Shaylee Beck, general manager of Harry’s and telecommunication and film and theater graduate of The University of Alabama.

Out of all the changes, French said the most noticeable would have to be the raised ceiling. He said the new ceiling makes the bar feel more open and gives the illusion of more space.

Additionally, a new sound system upgrade has also been installed, along with an array of different lights for an improved music vibe. Harry’s features a variety of musical acts each week.

“One night you can come in here, and we’ll have a DJ playing dubstep, and the next night we’ll have a six-piece band playing rock ‘n’ roll,” Beck said.

Throughout the renovations, Harry’s strived to keep its history and legacy relevant and appealing to various age groups.

“Harry’s is like home to many of our customers,” Beck said. “You can have some guy sitting at the bar in a suit, and right behind him is a greek member talking to a blue-collar worker.”

While the recent age limit increase will affect some students, French said he is confident the bar will continue to leave a legacy in the Tuscaloosa community.

“With Harry’s, we’re a legacy,” French said. “This bar’s been here for 40 years, and we’ve seen bars come and go. Harry’s is one of the greatest traditions in Tuscaloosa, and we pride ourselves in specialty.”