AWSN Power Players: Debra Hallum and Marlene du Plessis (Owners, 1972 Pub)
- AWSN Editor
- Jul 10
- 5 min read
All Women's Sports Bar Network
Debra Hallum and Marlene du Plessis founded 1972 Pub, bringing more than 30 years of experience in educational and corporate leadership. Growing up, they lacked access to women’s sports—especially Marlene, who was raised in South Africa, where opportunities for female athletes were scarce. Their shared passion for increasing visibility and support for women’s and gender-expansive athletes drives their vision for this pub.
1972 Pub is Austin’s first bar exclusively dedicated to celebrating women’s and gender-expansive sports. Named after the year Title IX was signed into law, prohibiting sex-based discrimination, leading to a boom in women’s sports around the nation. They are committed to creating a vibrant community hub where everyone is welcome to cheer on women’s accomplishments.
Further, 1972 Pub is committed to donating 10% of its profits to local nonprofits that provide athletic opportunities to girls and gender-expansive youth in Austin.
We spoke with these trailblazers to uncover what drives them, why they chose to open a women’s sports bar, and the keys to their success in new terrain.
Find out why Debra Hallum and Marlene du Plessis join the esteemed ranks as AWSN Power Players!
AWSN: Why a sports bar for women?
Debra and Marlene: We saw an article in 2022 about Jenny Nguyen starting The Sports Bra. We both love sports and loved what she was doing. We kept up on articles about the concept and then discovered a few more bars. In the summer of 2023, we were in Seattle so went to visit Rough and Tumble. We spoke to the owner Jen Barnes and were inspired by the community they had created. Marlene and I agreed to do some research and see about starting our own version in Austin.
Sitting at your bar top is a dream team of your favorite women athletes past or present. Who are they?
Debra and Marlene: Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, Mia Hamm, Michelle Akers, Chris Evert, Diana Taurasi
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while establishing this business? How did you overcome them?
Debra and Marlene: Austin has a very low percentage of second-generation kitchens, so finding the right space was a challenge. Thanks to a female realtor who knew about our project, she reached out when her clients wanted to leave their space. Another challenge was finding a space owner willing to lease to us. We had no restaurant or bar experience, and the owners did not want to take a chance on us being new and having a new concept. Third is financial. Banks do not finance restaurants/bars, so we have invested our own money.
How do you foster a sense of community among your patrons? Are there any particular events or traditions that have become staples of your bar?
Debra and Marlene: We are only 90 days in, so we are still working on programming and traditions. We have been supportive of our local women's organizations, women's sports teams, and LGBTQ+ organizations by sharing our space for watch parties and events. We do profit sharing with non-profits to support the community. This is a community space, and it is the reason we wanted to be here, especially in our current political environment. We welcome any of the local groups to have fundraisers here.
Tell us about your local community. What are the hometown teams? Local heroes?
Debra and Marlene: Definitely, our University of Texas Women's sports teams. We have great UT women's fans for basketball, volleyball, and softball. We would love to grow that even more for others, like soccer and rugby. Austin has LOVB Volleyball here, and we are so proud they won the championship the first year. We love our LOVB team! We have been blessed to have their players come in for events. We have other locals, Fran Harris, WNBA for Comets, Leah Best, Professional Beach Volleyball, Lizzi Smith, Paralympian in swimming, and Cat Osterman, GM for AUSL Volts.
Which women’s sports aren’t getting the love that you and your clientele would like to see?
Debra and Marlene: The WPHL is growing and so entertaining. We hope the love for women's hockey continues to grow. The new AUSL is amazing, and softball is so good to watch; we hope the love grows for them. Marlene and I are both rugby fans so we would like to see the WER get some love and complete negotiations on broadcasting so it is easier to show rugby for the fans.
Do you attribute your success to any strategy or decision in particular?
Debra and Marlene: No, we just wanted to do something for women and also for our LGBTQ+ community in Austin because there was no space like ours until now. The pioneers before us, like Jenny Nguyen, Jen Barnes, and Jillian Hiscock, get all the credit for motivating us and inspiring us to know that "it can be done."
What is the most memorable event or reaction from a customer that has stuck with you?
Debra and Marlene: We were showing the NCAA March Madness. We had a male customer who brought in his grandmother to watch LSU. She had on her LSU t-shirt and with tears in her eyes said, "I never dreamed in my lifetime that I would see this happen, a place for women's sports." That is why we did this. We have also had many customers thank us for creating the space in Austin. Another memorable reaction is from female customers who thank us because it is the safest they have felt in a bar watching sports.
If you could host any women’s sports team or athlete at your bar, who would it be and why?
Debra and Marlene: Just one? That is so unfair! LOL. If we only get one, it would be Billie Jean King. She has fought so hard for women's equality in sports, and that is what we feel strongly about. Let's be clear–there are many that we would love to host here.
Do you collaborate with local women’s teams, leagues, or athletes? How do these partnerships contribute to your mission?
Debra and Marlene: Before we ever opened, we made connections with the local women's sports team in Austin. We heard repeatedly that they wanted a space for after practices, after games, to meet their fans, and hold fundraisers. We made sure they know we are here for them for all of that. We host away game watch parties for their fans. Collaboration with local teams and athletes is huge for this space and for what we created it for, to give female athletes and women's sports their very own platform.
What advice would you share with women wanting to make it in the business of women’s sports?
Debra and Marlene: It is not easy, and we still have not mastered it. We feel strongly and are passionate about women being acknowledged and recognized for the work they put into their craft. They work just as hard as the men, and it is time that is appreciated and enjoyed. You have to feel strongly in order to put up with the roadblocks and challenges that are going to present themselves. Make sure you surround yourself with people who are also full of that opinion and passion.
Connect with Debra, Marlene, and 1972 Pub here:
