US bar-restaurant chain Coyote Ugly Saloon, with female bar staff and dancers, to make S’pore debut in January

SINGAPORE — The Coyote Ugly Saloon, a United States-based bar and restaurant chain featuring female bartenders and dancers, will be opening in Singapore next month at Clarke Quay.

In a press release on Tuesday (Dec 10), the Singapore franchise holder said it is launching an island-wide search for “coyotes” — its term for bartenders and dancers — to fill 20 positions here.

The Coyote Ugly Saloon franchise operates 26 outlets in the US, Britain, Russia, Germany, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan and Japan.

The statement added that the “women-empowered campaign” calls for “stars behind the bar”.

The successful candidates will also get to travel for guest stints to the other Coyote Ugly Saloon locations around the world.

The chain will be taking over the premises that was formerly the f-Club at Clarke Quay when it opens its doors in January. 

It will operate every day of the week with choreographed dance routines taking place nightly.

Mr Steve Lewis, the owner of the UK and now Singapore franchise of the brand, said this is his most exciting project to date.

“We are looking for talented Singaporeans to rule the bar,” he said.

The statement said that "The Coyote Ugly legend" began in 1992 when Ms Lillana Lovell — then a Wall Street apprentice — quit her job and began working behind the bar, which eventually led her to open the first Coyote Ugly outlet in New York City.

The bar inspired a movie in 2000 produced by mega-producer Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Michael Bay. It starred Piper Perabo, Maria Bello and Adam Garcia. The movie was a box office success — raking in over US$113 million (about S$154 million) — but received mixed reviews from critics.