Fiddlestrings Defends Title as the Top Bar in San Angelo in July '11
Downtown remains in third place, behind Sherwood Way and the Southwest areas for July 2011. The bar to beat has become Fiddlestrings, the locally owned neighborhood bar just off Sherwood Way. Three months in a row now they have reached six figures in sales and demolished the corporate-owned Buffalo Wild Wings (and it's 'system').
Fiddlestrings Sales
| Month | Sales |
| July 2011 | $120,255 |
| June 2011 | $106,014 |
| May 2011 | $104,545 |
| April 2011 | $85,742 |
| March 2011 | $81,156 |
Not to subtract from what is obviously an outstanding accomplishment by Fiddlestrings, I wonder if the owner of that bar has the San Angelo City Council on speed dial? This meteoric rise in sales commenced when the city enacted a smoking ban.
While all of the other bars scrambled to piece together a smoking area in an outside patio arrangement, Fiddlestrings already had the outdoor bar. Patrons could smoke away with impunity. I am beginning to wonder if the smoking ban was not some sort of evil economic tyranny the city council imposed on San Angelo's bar industry.
On the other hand, it was HOT in July. I don't care what anyone's craving for nicotine is, I don't know who would want to sit outside in triple-digit heat.
The other point to ponder about Fiddlestrings' success is that it is a locally owned business, not a chain, and that money is earned and spent in San Angelo's economy, lifting all boats. So good job fellas!
Blaine's Music
For a summer month, Blaine's had a very good month. They have Katie Bollinger booking for them now and she's bringing in more innovative live music and entertainment. For example, Blaine's is booking bigger acts like Johnny Cooper and Mark McKinney to perform more intimate acoustic performances on weekdays. She also booked a piano bar comedy act in August. This fall, Blaine's will celebrate its 15th Anniversary with a Fall Concert Series on Thursday nights following a similar formula.
Fifi Dubois and The Deadhorse did not report sales on this month's TABC report.
July 2011 Sales By Area
| Area | Anchor | Gross Sales |
| Sherwood Way | Fiddlestrings | $450,433 |
| Southwest | Midnight Rodeo | $351,340 |
| Downtown | Blaine's | $319,081 |
The Top bars in San Angelo, August 2011
| Rank | Last Month | Venue | Tax | Gross Sales |
| 1 | 1 | FIDDLESTRINGS | $16,835.70 | $120,255.00 |
| 2 | 2 | BUFFALO WILD WINGS GRILL AND B | $12,778.64 | $91,276.00 |
| 3 | 5 | FAT BOSS'S PUB | $8,779.54 | $62,711.00 |
| 4 | 3 | MIDNIGHT RODEO | $8,304.38 | $59,317.00 |
| 5 | 4 | FAST EDDIES | $7,549.64 | $53,926.00 |
| 6 | 12 | BLAINE'S PUB | $7,459.90 | $53,285.00 |
| 7 | 6 | SWA-GITO, LLC | $7,244.44 | $51,746.00 |
| 8 | 10 | GRINNERS DAIQURI BAR | $6,467.86 | $46,199.00 |
| 9 | 14 | WOOFERS & TWEETERS BAR & GRILL | $6,249.32 | $44,638.00 |
| 10 | 11 | OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE | $6,097.42 | $43,553.00 |
| 11 | 13 | SHENANIGAN'S BAR | $5,771.78 | $41,227.00 |
| 12 | 16 | CHILI'S GRILL & BAR | $5,591.60 | $39,940.00 |
| 13 | 15 | CHEDDAR'S CASUAL CAFE | $5,033.98 | $35,957.00 |
| 14 | 9 | TEXAS ROADHOUSE | $4,917.08 | $35,122.00 |
| 15 | 17 | THE PARROT'S HEAD TAVERN | $4,706.52 | $33,618.00 |
| 16 | 20 | CORK AND PIG TAVERN | $3,771.88 | $26,942.00 |
| 17 | 30 | BENTWOOD C C L L C | $3,760.54 | $26,861.00 |
| 18 | 20 | THE ORIGINAL HENRY'S | $3,734.64 | $26,676.00 |
| 19 | 22 | THE STAGE COACH SALOON & DANCE | $3,490.06 | $24,929.00 |
| 20 | 34 | FUENTES CAFE DOWNTOWN | $2,893.66 | $20,669.00 |
| 21 | 29 | SAN ANGELO COUNTRY CLUB | $2,870.84 | $20,506.00 |
| 22 | 31 | LOGAN'S ROADHOUSE | $2,600.50 | $18,575.00 |
| 23 | 27 | THE GRILL | $2,583.14 | $18,451.00 |
| 24 | 28 | APPLEBEE'S NEIGHBORHOOD GRILL | $2,570.82 | $18,363.00 |
| 25 | 37 | SAN ANGELO HOST/SAN ANGELO HOS | $2,293.20 | $16,380.00 |
| 26 | 38 | CARINO'S ITALIAN | $1,714.86 | $12,249.00 |
| 27 | 33 | QUICKSAND GOLF COURSE | $1,490.72 | $10,648.00 |
| 28 | 25 | GIZ & HUM'S BILLIARDS & BREWS | $1,452.64 | $10,376.00 |
| 29 | 40 | TWIN MOUNTAIN STEAK HOUSE | $926.66 | $6,619.00 |
| 30 | - | MISS HATTIES CAFE & SALOON | $905.66 | $6,469.00 |
| 31 | 42 | LOS PANCHITOS AT EL PASEO | $903.14 | $6,451.00 |
| 32 | 43 | BONSAI GARDEN | $757.54 | $5,411.00 |
| 33 | 51 | COACHMAN CLUB | $713.30 | $5,095.00 |
| 34 | 45 | WESTERN SKY | $593.88 | $4,242.00 |
| 35 | 47 | CRAZY GOAT/CHIVO LOCO SPORTS B | $500.78 | $3,577.00 |
| 36 | 44 | SAN ANGELO SPRINGHILL SUITES | $494.90 | $3,535.00 |
| 37 | 46 | LOS PACHITOS | $425.18 | $3,037.00 |
| 38 | 49 | ICHIBAN JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE | $369.60 | $2,640.00 |
| 39 | 50 | ROSA'S CAFE & TORTILLA FACTORY | $306.04 | $2,186.00 |
| 40 | 41 | THE RIVER TERRACE RESTAURANT | $305.06 | $2,179.00 |
| 41 | 52 | PEASANT VILLAGE INC/SOUTH PARK | $284.76 | $2,034.00 |
| 42 | - | SAN ANGELO LODGE #1880 | $132.58 | $947.00 |
| 43 | 54 | UNIVERSITY FOOD SERVICES | $115.50 | $825.00 |
| 44 | 53 | CHINA GARDEN RESTAURANT | $97.30 | $695.00 |
| 45 | 55 | DUNBAR RESTAURANT | $72.38 | $517.00 |
| 46 | - | CHEYENNE CLUB | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 47 | 56 | F L 'S GARDEN | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 48 | 7 | GRAHAM CENTRAL STATION/CONCHO | $0.00 | $0.00 |
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