In 1993, young entrepreneur and former bartender Liliana Lovell founded the Coyote Ugly Saloon. The wild and fun bar was an instant success with its female bartenders singing, dancing, and comedically hustling drinks. The famous watering hole gained national attention in 1997 when a story about the saloon was published in GQ magazine. Shortly after that, Liliana sold the movie rights to her bar, and on this day in 2000, the Touchstone film Coyote Ugly was served up in theaters. The film tells the story of Violet Sanford (Piper Perabo), who after moving to New York to pursue her dream of becoming a famous songwriter, finds she is desperate and broke. But, through a twist of fate, the shy and innocent Violet lands a job as one of the barmaids at the famous bar, and it’s just one wild adventure after another for this small-town girl chasing her dream in the big city. Shortly after the film’s release, a Coyote Ugly opened in Las Vegas and many additional saloons have popped up around the world since, with the same mission statement: Quick wit, unshakable assurance, and the ability to take your last dollar.
