Located at Fireman’s Park in the heart of McAllen, Texas, University Drafthouse prides itself on being one of the most unique establishments in the Rio Grande Valley. The historic site where the bistro now sits used to be a fire station established for the city of McAllen in 1926. Much of the old fire station was preserved, including its exposed brick walls and the high ceilings with uncovered ductwork, giving it a distinctive industrial look. The acid washed and polished concrete floors, add a contemporary touch to the old firehouse.
Featuring an upstairs dining area, downstairs dining for private events and a patio that overlooks the lake the bar also has live music and entertainment every Thursday through Sunday. The upstairs dining also includes a loft where diners can view the action going on downstairs. The University Drafthouse effectively mixes the old and new, keeping artifacts from the firehouse such as antique cupboards and stoves with modern widescreen televisions for customers to enjoy watching sports. The patio is covered by a metal corrugated roof and has industrial style seating.
The owner contacted RestaurantFurniture.net to furnish the bistro with high quality seating. He was looking for commercial chairs that would blend in with the industrial theme and help preserve the heritage of the historic site while also adding a modern flair. He chose the elongated vertical slat metal chairs in a clear coat finish and padded seats upholstered in black vinyl. The clear coat brings out the natural elements of the metallic frame and goes well with the black seats. The clear coat frame appears to have a glossy pewter look which blends in well with the industrial look and the polished concrete floors.
The elongated metal chairs have an elegant look that blends in with many types of interior design such as modern, traditional and industrial. The elongated, slightly curved metal frame is a modern variation of the popular vertical slat wood chairs. They fit right in with the industrial look and historic image of the drafthouse. The clear coat metal has a soft glow when the light from the incandescent lamps hanging from the high ceiling reflects off them creating a welcoming atmosphere. It also matches the metal railing in the upstairs loft dining area and the metal table bases. The chairs have a timeless style that fits in with any period and whether it’s the 1920’s when the fire station first opened or the 2020’s they are central in creating a unique image for the drafthouse.
