New owner revamps 570 Dueling Piano Bar after its series of closures in downtown Macon

A former Ford race car driver retired from the wheel and will soon reopen a comedy club and piano bar in downtown Macon.

Jeremy Conaway hopes 570 Dueling Piano Bar will feel revamped while preserving some of its history.

“What we don’t want is a stagnant feel to this place like, ‘ah, it’s just another place where we go and listen to music,’” Conaway said. “I want people to understand they control this place ... what they want is what they get.”

Conaway was still planning out the bar’s aesthetic and had not fully decorated or furnished the space a month prior to its opening, but ultimately, “the crowd controls the atmosphere,” he said.

Patrons can request any songs for pianists to play, which makes each night unique, depending on those inside.

“It keeps the vibe going of the people inside the building, which is really neat,” he said. “You just write it down on a piece of paper... put it in a little jar and they’ll pull it up, read it and start playing.”

A resident pianist and rotating series of professional musicians will duel and play off of each other.

“Sometimes they might beat the keys a little harder and kind of sing up, and that brings this guy’s energy up, and they just go back and forth,” Conaway said.

Similar to unique music nights, a new comedian will perform stand-up every other week.

All three floors of the building are dedicated to the business. The bar sits on the first level, the entertainers will stay each weekend in three apartments on the second floor, and Conaway lives in an apartment that takes up the top floor, he said.

“Instead of finding them hotels, its nice because they can experience being able to come down, walk around downtown,” he said. “It’s a historic building.”

The bar will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 10 a.m. Thursday to 2 a.m. Friday; and 10 a.m. Friday to 2 a.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m. Saturday to 2 a.m. Sunday.

Wednesdays will be an open stage night for anyone to perform. A DJ will play on Thursdays for a dance club vibe. Pianists will play Fridays and Saturdays from around 7 p.m. “until the crowd decides they don’t want to hear piano anymore,” Conaway said. Every other Saturday will have comedy shows at 3, 5 and 7 p.m.

Piano nights will have a small cover, and comedy show tickets will cost around $30. Patrons must be 21 years or older, except on comedy nights. On comedy nights, attendees must be at least 16 years old at a parent’s discretion.

Tips from an expert

Music is not Conaway’s forte, he said.

“I know nothing about music,” the 43-year-old said, chuckling. “I couldn’t tell you what a music note is, what it means, what it’s supposed to mean, how to write it.”

But with a stacked lineup of professional performers and advice from “Bar Rescue” host Jon Taffer, he’s not worried.

“He basically set me up on how to do all of this stuff,” Conaway said, casually. “I called him ... he basically said, ‘Here’s every system you need.’”

Thanks to Taffer’s wisdom, Conaway said he will save a ton on liquor sales. Bartenders will use an electronic liquor bottle spout that measures how many ounces are poured in every drink. It encourages bartenders to pour all drinks equally, rather than a larger pour in anticipation of a larger tip.

“It will literally record it, give you a report saying ... you poured perfect on this drink or under on this drink,” Conaway said. “So instead of (bartenders) thinking they’re going to get a better tip, I will take care of them better on bonuses.”

So how did a retired race car driver without a music background from Springfield, Illinois, end up with a piano bar in Macon?

The business was unstable for a few years under previous ownership.

The original owner, Todd Miles of Eatonton, opened the business in December 2018 and sold it in March 2022. It closed about nine or 10 months later, The Telegraph previously reported. Miles later took back the space with plans to open a Cajun restaurant called The Rabbits Hole in 2023.

Then Miles met Conaway.

Miles bought one of Conaway’s houses on Daufuskie Island in South Carolina and told Conaway about handing over the bar, so Conaway bought it.

“At the whole end of it, I bought a business that basically didn’t exist, but I got all the content ... the lease agreements,” he said.

Conaway only ever visited Macon once, accidentally, during his racing escapades. He raced around the U.S. for 20 years and retired in 2023.

“It looked familiar when we went to the Ole Times (Country Buffet) at the Macon Mall,” Conaway said. “We parked our race hauler in there when we got rained out (at a race) in Brunswick.”

He also owns a sleek, high-end car parts shop in Illinois.

“That’s a car shop so you can only imagine what my bar is going to look like,” he said. “I’m very picky.”

One of his race sponsors connected him with Monster Energy, which will sponsor the pianists, DJs and cocktail mixes, he said.

“They’re starting on a whole new line of drinks and stuff, getting into the bar scene,” Conaway said. “We’ll also have some coffee and teas ... liquor and beer ... whatever you need.”

Will food be available?

A speakeasy sort of hallway in the back of the bar will connect to Gangnam Grill, a recently-opened Korean restaurant. Select food items from Gangnam Grill will be available for purchase at 570 Dueling Piano Bar, since the piano bar does not have a kitchen.

“You can order the food here, they’ll bring it over (from Gangnam Grill), and our servers will bring it right to your table,” Conaway said. “And then he can send customers over here because he can’t serve liquor.”

Eventually, he hopes to open a hot dog or taco cart in front on late nights and weekends.

Conaway expects to have a grand opening during Macon’s annual International Cherry Blossom Festival in March.

After the venue’s history of openings and closures, Conaway promised it is actually here for the long run.

“Come support us. We’re not lying. We’re open,” he said.

This story was originally published February 14, 2025 at 7:00 AM.