From riddles on the floor to gold keys hanging from the ceiling, can you solve the riddle to get into this new speakeasy bar in San Angelo?
Signature Stag, a men’s clothing retailer, has opened at 19 E. Concho Ave. The location was formally Martial Pint, a local bar, that closed its doors in late 2024.
The store opened Nov. 28 to offers men’s clothing from tux rentals to outdoor clothing, shoes, toiletries, gifts, wallets and much more.
The store is also attached to a speakeasy bar called the Alibi by Stag.
A speakeasy is a hidden bar often accessed with secret passwords or hidden doors.
The Alibi Speakeasy hosted a soft opening on Dec. 11 and had a grand opening celebration on Dec. 18 where it reached its full capacity of 300 people.
The bar offers an elegant 1920s scenery with a balcony overlooking the store, an outside patio and event space.
The Alibi and Signature Stag were opened by Natalie and BJ Huey, who is a San Angelo native.
San Angelo’s Signature Stag is the third of its kind with the other two in Lubbock and Midland. However, the Alibi is a new concept for the Hueys.
Natalie said she began the concepts of the businesses by filling five needs for San Angelo.
“I look for things that need to be there and fill that niche,” she said. “San Angelo didn’t have a men’s essentials store. There’s no places to rent a tuxedo or suits unless its a bridal shop. I was also shocked San Angelo didn’t have a speakeasy. Now you can go back in time and really connect to that old 1920s vibe and bring it back to life.
“There are also hardly any event spaces that are around the same size. San Angelo also has beautiful weather all year round, and there’s not very many patio bars.”
Natalie said the patio that faces the downtown river will be opening when the weather starts to get warmer.
Natalie designed the entire speakeasy by hand as her own architect on the new project, including coming up with the riddle to get inside.
Alibi host Catalina Martinez said there is a bouncer at the door to check IDs, and the staff can help customers with the riddle and show them the clues throughout the store that lead to the secret door.
“The riddle strategically makes them walk around my store, so they think ‘I’m going to come back and shop. I wanted to make it challenging where they have fun, but it’s not too easy to give it away,” Natalie said.
“I love that the San Angelo community really rallies behind small businesses,” she said. “Downtown is beautiful, and the best shops are down there. I feel like we’re in the best location.”
The bar is open 4 p.m.-midnight Monday through Saturday.
This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: San Angelo gets new speakeasy bar downtown
Reporting by Rosanna Fraire, San Angelo Standard-Times / San Angelo Standard-Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
