Robert Higgins Jr. is an award-winning entrepreneur who, over the years, has racked up a number of industry accolades for his dedication to creating hospitality havens across the Volunteer State. This year, he debuted his groundbreaking collaboration with Patrón Tequila, making history as the first Black entrepreneur in Tennessee to do so.
Born and raised in St. Louis, Higgins ventured off to Nashville to attend Tennessee State University as a pre-med major with plans to pursue dentistry. But throughout his college years, he discovered a love for events, leading him to shift his focus from medicine to creating vibrant social spaces focused on community.
In 2010, Higgins opened his first Nashville hotspot—a music and comedy club called Jazz and Jokes. With the vision to create a space that married community and Nashville entertainment, this venture marked the beginning of a thriving hospitality career. He’s since opened nine more establishments.
In 2023, he opened the doors to Supper Club on Belcourt, an elevated fine-dining experience in a bustling Nashville neighborhood. Soon after, he opened casual dining restaurant Bungalow10 right next door.
While he uses his expertise to curate spaces all around Music City, he has added a new level of entertainment and attraction to Belcourt Avenue, opening two additional spaces: Jar10, a cocktail bar, and Sunset, a cigar lounge. Higgins thrives on creating establishments with an electrifying atmosphere, each with a goal to be a destination for all to enjoy.
“I think the ambiance and the design are a key component because people fall in love with a place based off of how it looks first,” Higgins explains. “I think we tried to nail that factor in, then move on to other things.”
Creating a legacy in Nashville, Higgins has had a front-row seat in watching the city evolve over the past 15 years. He shares what it means to him to watch his businesses grow and thrive in a city that means so much to him: “It means a lot… you get to grow as the city grows. Nashville is growing tremendously and to be able to be a part of that is great… giving people options on places to go, things to do, places to eat, and being an option for people to patronize is one thing we don’t take for granted.”
But Higgins didn’t stop there—he recently launched a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration with Patrón Tequila. As of this month, his very own limited-edition barrel select saint añejo, 5240, is available for purchase online and at all Higgins’s establishments.
Flying out to Guadalajara, Mexico, he spent a few days at the Patrón headquarters, experiencing all that goes into creating a tequila from the ground up; from learning about the different barrels and agave plantations to curating the bottle and packaging, he was involved in every decision necessary to arrive at a product he loves. With the goal of creating a tequila that could be sipped without being chased, Higgins wanted 5240 to tell a story of its own.
“The name 5240 is the address of the street I grew up on in St. Louis – 5240 Minerva Avenue,” he explains. “That place meant a lot to me, and I wanted the tequila to be something that told a story – not just about the tequila, but about me, where I come from, and my background. Everyone remembers their childhood address, so I wanted it to reflect something I could never forget.”
With an eight-month distribution process, Higgins has patiently waited for folks to get their hands on his latest project. Now that the exclusive tequila is out on the shelves and available to the public.
“People are buying it and liking it,” Higgins says. “It’s a great feeling… I wasn’t expecting the amount of support and love that we’ve received this past weekend – we almost sold out the first weekend! It means a lot that people are believing in what I’m doing… one thing I try to do more in life is enjoy the process, so I’m slowing down and enjoying the journey.”
While most of his ventures are rooted in Nashville, Higgins has expanded into Memphis and has his sights set on additional expansion throughout the South. With each new concept, he continues to leave his legacy on Southern dining, entertainment, and now, spirits.
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