Title: Operating Partner, Chiflada's
Birthplace: San Antonio, Texas
The lowdown: Riffle’s years bartending at San Antonio fixtures such as Hi-Tones and Lighthouse Lounge shaped the West Side native’s view of nightlife, including a dream of bringing sassy chiflada culture to the neighborhood of her youth.
That entrepreneurial dream — a brightly-colored West Side cocktail spot dubbed Chiflada's — was slated to open last fall, but zoning delays pushed things back. The space, located at 1804 West Martin St., was previously a home and a hair salon, but now boasts indoor and outdoor areas for imbibing.
We chatted with Riffle about Chiflada's, whose name she’s called a “joke-turned-business model,” ahead of its Friday, June 2 grand opening. She operates the new venture alongside her mom Veronica and San Antonio DJ Melanie Martinez.
Going through the bar’s Instagram posts, I feel like this spirit of being chiflada and kind of sassy is absolutely at the forefront, but the idea of fucking hustling all day, every day is just as prominent.
Oh, that is an understatement times 25. Literal blood, sweat, tears constantly for this place. And honestly, I don't think I've slept in almost two years now. This has pretty much been a year and a half in the making. We had to go through an extensive zoning situation first, almost four to five months to get through zoning. Then we had to go in front of the city council and get their OK, and we did a lot of legwork, walking the neighborhood and knocking on everybody's doors, pretty much to get permission … . Introducing who we were, what the concept was. It's been a struggle, but it’s completely worth it. You know, I’ve been a bartender since I was 19 and in the industry since I was 17, and all the people I’ve met along the way, and the regulars and co-workers that have become close friends, it's just become a big community.
Tell me about the vibe. Sometimes, people just want to stop and have a $3 Lone Star.
I get that. I love that for myself! The thing about me is I do love dive bars, that kind of atmosphere. I want to go to a place where I can find a cocktail that like was amazing, have a couple of them and be like, “You know what, I’m gonna switch to a vodka-water.” So I love that [Chiflada’s] can be versatile.
Instagram / nonoucute
Chiflada's partners are (from left) Veronica Riffle, Melanie Martinez and Natasha Riffle.
For sure, that’s the West Side. People kept telling us it’s a little sketchy, and we’re just like, “There's sketchy places everywhere in San Antonio.” The neighborhood’s evolved. It’s not just holes in the wall there. People don’t have to drive downtown for great cocktails and an inviting atmosphere. We had some people from the neighborhood show up to our soft opening and they were just amazed. They hung out, drank Bud Lights all night, and they were so impressed, saying the music was great. And it just felt literally like Cheers, where everyone is gonna know your name.
And when you're invested in the neighborhood, in your dream being connected to where you came of age, it’s a different undertone.
Definitely. And you know, it’s an underprivileged area, so we’re planning school supply drives, turkey- and Christmas gift-donation events. We are this community, and I want that to be first and foremost. We’re not just a bar, a place to go have a nice drink. We're here for everything and everyone.
Chiflada’s will hold its grand opening this weekend. It will be open 4 p.m.-2 a.m.
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