If these walls could speak….

About Restaurant Bullen

1897

  • Oscar II had only 10 years more to live and he was the ruler over Sweden and Norway. Two years before his death the union with Norway was dissolved in 1905. Much to the relief of the sister nations and Oscar II got one less concern.

  • People died from tuberculosis, pertussis and other infectious diseases. It took over half a century before medical science took control of tuberculosis, polio and other diseases of this time.

  • This is the year where everyone in Sweden was talking about August Palm’s historical speech “What do socialists want?” which had been held six years earlier in Malmö, Sweden. His speech filled some with hope and other with fear but the speech drove the development that would in time make the social democrats the heavy weights of the Swedish politics in the 20th century. The newspaper “Arbetet” (The Work) that was a big player in this success now celebrated it’s 10th year in business.

  • August Strindberg, a Swedish author divorced from the Austrian journalist Frida Uhl. The couple got married in 1893 and moved to Frida’s grandparents home in Austria and one year later their daughter Kerstin was born. The couple separates when August moved to Paris.

  • This year, the crown princess regiment relocated o newly built barracks and a squadrons was transferred to the life guards on horsebacks to Stockholm. The smell of horse manure was a part of Malmös everyday life.

  • The first issue of the joke magazine “Strix” was published. The magazine contained among other things cartoons by Albert Engström and the Katzenjammer kids made a debut in the New York Journal. More know in Sweden as Knoll & Tott.

  • In Bullen, beers and simple dishes were served for the first time. Thuréns bierhalle opened the restaurant in the then newly build building on Storgatan.

1906

Bullen was taken over by Oscar Wernersson. Three different pool tables was well played with real ivoryballs and most of the guests were students of the latin school who thought it was much better to spend their days playing pool rather than be in school.  

During the evenings, beers and light meals were served such as potato salad with boiled sausage. In the beginning the entrance and bar were in the same room (the room in the corner). The middle section (currently the bar room) still have the same bar the people rallied around over one hundred years ago. The silver beer tap has been around since Wernerssons time and it’s the oldest beer tap that still works in the country.

What would these walls tell you?
They would tell you about Wernersson’s two great interests, Russian bowling and pigeon breeding. He was so successful that he received a large number of diplomas, some of them are still hjaning on the wall above the bar. His interest in bowling resulted in Wernersson arranging the Swedish championship here at Bullen. The Wernerssons family ran the business until they retired 1958. During both world wars the pub had great social significance and the establishment was a popular place for more than half a century during his ownership.

The Bull’s Eye

The restaurant changed owners a couple of times during the next 11 years until it was bought by Harry Theander. Harry renovated the place and renamed it to The Bulls Eye. He opened in October 1969, the bar became very popular and became the place to be among Malmö’s cultural people during the 70’s.

The bar had moved from it’s original location in the room on the corner. The wallpaper is very unique, the golden leather wallpaper can no longer be purchased because the factory that made it burnt down in France, 1975. The main entrance was move from the side to it’s current location. During the renovation a carpenter did the wall fittings and wooden details as exact replicas to the original features in the restaurant. From the entrance you can see both the panel from the 70’s and the wall art from the last century.

The show continues
In 2006 a new era began. After many years as a successful restaurateur, Jan Theander sold the restaurant to a group of young entrepreneurs. Jan would remain in the background for some time but he no longer needed to spend his time dealing with stressful situation that accrues in the restaurant business. After an agreement that Bullen’s history and culture would survive, Jan Theander became satisfied with the change of ownership.

109 years later

All of the new owners had worked at Bullen for different amounts of time. They have had a successful time as owners from the very first. Together they have over 100 years experience in the restaurant industry. The team have a broad competence in all restaurant tasks and duties. Everything from lunches, á la carte, weekends party food, beer, wine, whiskey and  coffee.

The difference
However, running a restaurant successfully is about more than knowledge about beer and food. Good restaurateurs have knowledge and experience that can’t be taught at restaurant school. It’s about the sense of service, a positive approach towards the profession and last but not least, the ability to read people.

Bullens guests
What makes Bullen so unique? We have already talked about some of the things about service, culture and history. But what would Bullen be without it’s guests? We receive lunch eaters, dinner guests, after work drinkers. Some comes in suits and other comes in more casual clothes but all come to fill the need of social contact. We also receive the customers that want their time alone. Or people who just want to have lunch and read their newspaper.

Why does everyone enjoy Bullen? The answer is simple, This is where we enjoy life!