Page 72 - San Angelo

On the establishment’s 1st anniversary, Toni brought in a band for the frst time. Gradually, they began booking bands twice a month with a BYOB invitation. Bi-monthly concerts with patrons toting in their beverages acted as the frst extension of the lounge and spawned more developed ideas for their future as the neighborhood hot spot. The idea of live music and cold drinks in a furniture store with incredible ambiance was an instant hit, inspiring the metamorphosis into FiFi’s current dichotomy of a home & lounge experience.

“Honestly it was a business decision to include a lounge in the store; we had to start thinking outside of the box, and it saved us. But more than anything, it evolved into something bigger than us,” FiFi explains.

And it’s true. Many locals like to congregate after hours in the swank lounge area, lit by softly glowing lights strung through the store, to celebrate, reminisce, and listen to music. The atmosphere and backdrop are different than other bars in town. It’s mellow, cool, and the furniture on display becomes a part of the party when the “Lounge Open” light fickers on.

At any given time, the diverse demographics of frequenters to FiFi’s are, honestly, astounding. The ages range 21-70 some nights. FiFi and Toni credit their success to the comfortable, home-like feeling the lounge offers where friends can come hang out, listen to music with a beverage, and just have a conversation in a retro