Urban Cowboy founders Lyon Porter (left) and Jersey Banks (right).
Courtesy of Urban CowboyTen years ago, Lyon Porter and Jersey Banks decided to transform their Brooklyn townhouse into a five-room bed and breakfast, never imagining they were about to redefine boutique hospitality. What started as a quirky passion project soon grew into Urban Cowboy, a trailblazing hotel brand with properties in Nashville, the Catskills and beyond—and a mission to create spaces where strangers become friends.
“Before this, I had been a professional hockey player, and Jersey had been a professional dancer. We’re accidental hoteliers who fell into this,” Porter told me in an interview. When the couple turned their home in Brooklyn’s edgy East Williamsburg into the first Urban Cowboy, they didn’t even have a credit card machine or an Instagram page. They lived there, too, sharing the space with their guests.
Urban Cowboy Brooklyn was intimate and irreverent, a bohemian outpost that quickly became a hub for creatives, locals and travelers. Guests shared meals, mingled at parties and experienced the kind of authentic connections Porter and Banks craved themselves.
A guest room at Urban Cowboy Nashville, showcasing the brand’s signature mix of bold design and eclectic details.
@ Ben Fitchett“I think we were both looking for that hub for our creative community, and we built one,” says Porter. “And that was what Urban Cowboy Brooklyn was—it was us hosting people in our lives, in our home and it went around the world instantly and was suddenly in every design and travel magazine.”
The couple created an Urban Cowboy tagline: “Arrive as strangers, leave as friends.” And it wasn’t just marketing speak—it was their ethos.
Urban Cowboy Expands: Nashville and Beyond
Brooklyn’s instant success set the stage for growth, though serendipity often dictated the brand’s next steps. “Six months in, everyone that came through said, the next one you should open is Nashville,” says Porter. On their first visit to Music City, the couple stumbled upon a Victorian mansion with amazing bones in East Nashville. Long story short, they knocked on the door and the owner said, “It’s not for sale, but I’d sell it to you.” The deal was sealed.
Urban Cowboy Nashville fit right in, channeling the same mix of warm hospitality and bold design that they had honed in Brooklyn. The rooms have lots of wood, stylishly mismatched fabrics and a big clawfoot tub in every room—not the bathroom (a signature amenity). Out back, they converted an old carriage house in the Public House, serving up wood-fired pies from Roberta’s (the trendsetting Brooklyn pizzeria), craft cocktails and cool vibes. They turned the parlor into a wine bar, hosting music performances and more. The hotel quickly became a neighborhood hot spot.
Urban Cowboy Nashville's parlor, which doubles as a wine bar and music space.
@ Ben FitchettAnd that was just the start. The couple doubled down on Nashville, renovating The Dive Motel, a groovy 1970s spot on the Old Buffalo Trail where Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash used to stay. “It’s our twisted sister property—10 minutes from the other Cowboy but a world away design-wise,” says Porter. The design imperative there was simple: “just fun,” says Porter. It’s got shag carpets, vinyl wallpaper and disco balls in every room.
The Catskills followed. “Nature was calling—we wanted to see the Milky Way,” says Porter. At Urban Cowboy Lodge, a rustic property on 68 acres of pristine wilderness, guests can disconnect and enjoy the best of upstate New York. No cell service is a feature—not a flaw. “You’re ensconced in the donut hole of the Catskills surrounded by two state forests that are protected so you can really feel that you’re a world away,” says Porter.
A guest room with a signature tub at Urban Cowboy Lodge in the Catskills.
@ Ben FitchettIn 2024, they opened Urban Cowboy Denver in a Victorian mansion with the same vibe as Urban Cowboy Nashville: It even has a carriage house out back. “It's like a piece of art with original details that are frozen in the 1880s,” says Porter.
Urban Cowboy: A Philosophy of Design and Connection
Together, Porter and Banks have crafted spaces that encourage community while delivering memorable stays—their philosophy is all about creating emotional connections. You won’t find TVs in any of the hotels. “They’re these magical experiences. We’re not opening 500 room hotels with convention centers,” says Porter. “These are experiential places—we want people to have experiences, not just a place to sleep.”
Banks takes charge of construction and logistics while Porter focuses on design. “I’m the one obsessing about wallpaper and vignettes,” says Porter. “And she’s the nuts and bolts and the handy one—she’s lived on every single construction site.”
Banks’ pragmatic approach balances the aesthetics. “I should do set design because I care what it looks like, and she has to come in and be like, ‘Where’s the closet? Where are people going to put their bags?” says Porter.
The pool at The Dive Motel in Nashville.
@ Ben FitchettDavid Hirsch, retired managing director at Blackstone, says he enjoyed working with the couple and seeing their vision come to life with each project they take on. “Lyon and Jersey have built an incredible company with Urban Cowboy,” Hirsch told me in an interview. “Their passion for hospitality and attention to detail sets them apart from others, and their unique ability to bring people together and foster genuine partnerships goes beyond just business.”
Urban Cowboy: What’s Next
During the pandemic, Porter and Banks shut down the Brooklyn property, which eventually became the HQ for a new venture: Cowboy Creative, a design and hospitality studio that they launched this year. “We were getting hit up a lot about doing outside projects,” says Banks. “And we thought, ‘Why not make our team available?’ We love collaboration, and that’s a huge part of it. We love working with artisans and fabricators and artists in general. So we were like, ‘Why not not push that forward?’”
The exterior of Urban Cowboy Denver.
@ Ben FitchettFrom designing music venues to luxury residences, the studio allows them to collaborate with artisans and expand their creative vision. “It is this fun way to collaborate with other people that are so interesting, so amazing, and learn their stories and learn from them and give our unique perspective,” says Porter.
Their collaborators agree. “So much about what Lyon and Jersey do boils down to the care they give not only to their unique design and presentation but the care they have for their staff and their guests,” Clinton Van Gemert, designer and operator of Printsburgh wallpapers, told me in an interview. “The wall coverings I create are a good fit for their brand as it is evident that a lot of thought and care went into the making and installing of them.”
"Our biggest collaboration is our daughter, Banks Porter," says Porter.
Courtesy of Urban CowboyAs their brand grows, they remain clear about their ethos: “We are not for everyone nor will we ever be,” says Porter.
Next up, they’re working on a bar/restaurant in a 1902 arcade in downtown Nashville. Porter and Banks are also dreaming of opening a beach house. “We are actively looking,” says Porter. “If anyone wants to do a ‘Salty Cowboy,’ we’re open to it.”
And that’s just the start: “The dream has always been to open a collection of homes around the world for our community and ourselves to enjoy,” says Porter. “Inspiring places where people can meet, connect and leave a little more refreshed.”
The couple never expected to be where they are today. “We weren’t taking it that seriously. We didn’t think anyone would show up,” says Porter. “It was about freedom, and it was never about anything more than trying to have a good time. And then it took off, the sails filled up with their own wind and we went for the ride. And we’re still on that ride 10 years later, and it’s been a hell of a ride.”
