× Expand Alex Wong Jason Hajdik and Brandon Dorman, owners of BarleyPop Tap and Shop.

BarleyPop Tap and Shop owners Jason Hajdik and Brandon Dorman were already thinking about opening a second location of their popular Atwood Avenue craft beer bar when they heard through the grapevine that The Frequency would be closing June 30. Over the last few weeks, they put together a plan to take over 121 W. Main St., bringing the BarleyPop concept downtown while keeping the tradition of live music at the space.

“Brandon and I had some pretty strong feelings about not taking a music venue out of the city,” Hajdik tells Isthmus. “We thought people would appreciate if we preserved what [The Frequency] had going.”

The new business, tentatively called BarleyPop Live, will be a taproom and carry-out shop selling mix-and-match six-packs, growlers and crowlers, plus a live music venue. Dorman, a veteran of the Madison music scene who currently plays in the metal band Whiskey Pig, will handle local and regional booking. A lease has yet to be signed, but basic terms are in place and the business has already applied for a liquor license, which is up for approval next month. A call to landlord Larry Lichte was not immediately returned.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I’d be running a music venue,” says Dorman, who has been playing in bands and booking shows around Madison since he was 15. He has fond memories of playing at The Frequency, and he wants the local music community to know that the venue will remain an essential part of the scene. “This place means a ton to me,” he says. “I’ve watched a ton of clubs in Madison go away, and I wanted to make sure this one is not going to go away.”

Though a few hurdles remain, Hajdik and Dorman are excited about the new venture and hope to open BarleyPop Live as early as this fall. The endearingly grungy space would get a makeover (Frequency owner Darwin Sampson says he’s taking the venue’s bartop, which is lacquered with show posters, with him when he leaves). The aesthetic will be similar to the bright and minimalist BarleyPop space on Atwood Avenue, but Hajdik says he wants to keep some of the former tenant’s vibe. “It won’t be cookie cutter,” he says. Other potential features include an outdoor seating area and a vintage pinball arcade.

While The Frequency hosted live music seven days a week, Dorman says BarleyPop Live won’t do quite the same volume — at least initially. He anticipates booking and promoting four to five local shows per month as the club gets up and running.

“Once things feel more comfortable, we’ll be trying to expand, but right away less is more,” he says. “If I’m gonna do this, I want to do it the right way.”

Editor's note: A previous version of this story stated that FPC Live will be involved with booking, as had been the case at The Frequency. While this has been discussed, no formal agreement is yet in place.