Dugan’s Pub has been a Pinehurst staple practically since it opened in 1998. In recent years, there have been a lot of changes in the Moore County restaurant scene, and Dugan’s is no different.

Stephen Fore bought the restaurant in November 2022, and operates as head chef. One of his first goals was to tear down some of the unnecessary walls in the basement and install equipment for live music. Fore brought in TJ Johnson to help realize his dream.

Johnson has been a part of the county’s music scene for nearly 40 years. In the early 2010s, there was a music venue called Social 165 that was well known for providing an opportunity for beginning musicians, and hosting established musicians from around the region. Johnson was a part of that. Fore and Johnson are drawing on his experience there to create similar opportunities.

About a decade ago, Johnson began what he calls “incentivized open mic nights.” In March, Dugan’s launched the concept in their newly refreshed basement. Johnson opens up an artist signup for a Tuesday night open mic slot. The format is like any open mic. It’s a place for musicians to work on honing their craft.

“When you get seasoned veterans that are already out there gigging and they come to your open mics and you blend those in with some of the newer artists that are out there, a couple of things happen,” Johnson said during a recent SoPines Scene Radio Sessions interview. “The networking is fantastic. A lot of the newer guys befriend the experts, they share ideas, what works – for the county, what’s working for gigs, and all of that camaraderie, really, is what I’m after.”

Open mics become a sort of audition. From that pool of musicians, Johnson offers solo paying gigs for some Wednesdays and Fridays at Dugan’s. He also uses Dugan’s Facebook page to help market the musicians. Social media is paramount for working musicians, but it can be nearly impossible to take a video of yourself while playing a crowd. As a musician himself, Johnson thought that could be a service he could offer. The best venues work to make a positive environment for artists, and Fore and Johnson are working to do that at Dugan’s Pub.