A collection of drawings depicting professional wrestler Hulk Hogan hangs behind the bar at the Highlands Tap Room’s smaller sister building (commonly referred to by regulars as “the New Old Tap Room”). Those bellied up to the left side of the bar have the best view of the mostly black-and-white sketches, which exhibit varying skills by nameless patrons. Some drawings are realistic, depicting bulging veins in Hogan’s thick arms, while others take on a more cartoonish look. “We used to have a bartender here named Bucky,” bartender Trevor Traylor says. “He would do a drawing night every Monday.” When somebody couldn’t figure out what to scribble, Bucky would hand them a cup filled with different descriptions to inspire creativity. “One night, someone picked a description from the cup and drew Hulk Hogan,” Traylor says. Since that night nearly two years ago, the drawings have multiplied. Regulars, bartenders and those just stopping through have added to the Hulkamania.
This originally appeared in the June 2019 issue of Louisville Magazine under the headline "A Bulk of Hulk." To subscribe to Louisville Magazine, click here. To find us on newsstands, click here.
Photos by Mickie Winters, mickiewinters.com
