Preston Bishir and Miles Storm don’t go to bars to pound a few, yell at refs on the TV or get into fights with Hells Angels. They’re there for the music.
They’ve long dreamed of a lounge where people could gather to listen to jazz records on a Hi-Fi sound system in library-like silence. These do, in fact, exist in Japan. They’re called jazz kissas, and that’s right: No talking is allowed. But it was hard to justify flying thousands of miles just to listen to Miles Davis.
“We wished for a place like that where we could go,” Bishir says, “before we finally just decided to do it ourselves.”
The two, along with mixologist Danny Gentry, are introducing Northern Colorado to the concept with their new bar, Wobble Hi-Fi, located near The Exchange in downtown Fort Collins. It should be open now: As of mid-March, plans were to host a grand opening at the beginning of April. The owners believe it’s the first of its kind in the region.
Setting the vibe
Bishir and Storm love music so much that at one time they thought about it as a career. Bishir studied jazz at Ball State University and “plays a little bit of everything,” Storm says, while Storm himself plays guitar and bass.
“Music is such a huge part of our lives,” Storm says.
Gentry brings some serious credentials as well: He was the lead bartender at Ace Gillett’s Lounge for a few years before joining Bishir and Storm. He admits he’s not as much of a music fan as his co-owners, though he’s excited to spin some records. His role is preparing a menu of craft cocktails to match what can be described as a high-end lounge with an approachable edge, one that’s punctuated by the black-and-white mural painted by one of Bishir’s friends. Gentry wants the cocktails to feel fancy but remain simple.
Matt Sage spinning records at Wobble Hi-Fi’s pop-up event at
The Neighbor in January. Photo by Austin Lammers
“The attitude of a dive bar,” Gentry says of Wobble Hi-Fi, “because dive bars are always approachable, but we are really nice.”
The bar will have the vinyl record collection of a kissa as well as the top-notch sound system, but the owners won’t enforce the no-talking rule. It’s still a bar, they say, and one that needs customers to survive. They believe, for now, that Americans who are unfamiliar with the concept may not want to be shushed.
Still, they would love it if serious music lovers like them treat the bar like an intentional space to listen to records. The bar will have Hi-Fi but no Wi-Fi, so scrolling Instagram while Miles Davis crushes a solo on “Kind of Blue” will be discouraged.
“We hope they can come in and chat with friends,” Storm says, “and maybe have a different listening experience than they’ve ever had before.”
An eclectic mix
Bishir and Storm are both big fans of jazz, from the classics to the newer artists, and their guests should expect a healthy serving of it. But it won’t be the only music they play.
“We just think it should be interesting music,” Storm says. “Stuff you won’t hear on the radio.”
The two want Gentry to contribute since he has an eclectic record collection of his own. They might bring in their own records, though they’ve been busy purchasing albums for the bar. Vinyl may be considered vintage, but Hi-Fi fans still consider it the best way to listen to music since digital music, even on compact discs, needs to be compressed. That’s one reason why modern artists still release limited amounts of vinyl. Bishir and Storm won’t have it any other way.
Their records will be spun on a system that combines classic gear with great sound quality, Bishir says, including 1976 Klipschorn speakers, 1978 Klipsch Heresy I speakers, Technics turntables and Nagaoka cartridges. While the names may only mean something to audiophiles, they’re designed to “bring out the warmth and detail of vinyl,” Bishir says. A mixer will allow them to control everything.
As a result, Wobble will be a natural place for new artists to introduce their music, especially new releases, they say.
“If local artists are brave enough to spend money on an album and record it,” Bishir says, “then we should support it.”
Nate Lamb (left) and Preston Bishir (right) building tables for Wobble Hi-Fi. Photo by Austin Lammers
A couple of DIYers
Over the last few months, Bishir and Storm have felt as sore as someone training for a marathon or maybe a CrossFit tournament. That’s because they did much of the construction themselves, with the help of Nate Lamb, owner of Woolly Furniture and founder of The Handwork Initiative, a nonprofit that teaches people how to work with their hands for emotional and social enrichment. Bishir says Lamb taught him everything he knows about woodworking.
“We believe made things have spirit,” Bishir says. “We hope that translates to the customer.”
Of course, they left the plumbing and electrical wiring to the experts.
Even though the no-talking rule won’t be enforced for now (if ever), Bishir and Storm are considering hosting an afternoon tea session that follows the stricter rules of the Japanese kissas to see how the idea takes off. But mostly, they hope to share their love of music with those who visit Wobble Hi-Fi.
“We want people to feel like they’re in a living room,” Bishir says, “of someone who just loves to listen to music.”
