A HIGH BAR FOR SELFIES

Stellar background for photos a must at local pubs

It’s a busy Friday night and customers are packed — or as packed as they can be during a properly distanced pandemic — into the Southtown bar Amor Eterno, which opened in January.

But it’s not the bar they’re crowding around. It’s a selfiefriendly neon sign bearing the bar’s name that’s drawn attention, with patrons huddling, cellphones in hand, to snap photos of themselves under the soothing glow of the sign to post on social media accounts.

“It’s super attractive,” owner Aaron Peña said of the sign. “Humans are drawn to light like moths.”

And as humans are increasingly drawn to Instagram, photos equal dollars for bars. A strong social media presence has become part of the basic business equation for bars and restaurants everywhere, helping advertise establishments and even guide investors to where they should place their money.

A gorgeous cocktail on its own is no longer enough to reel in the photos and tags; now bars need super-photogenic selfie backdrops. San Antonio has seen a rash of new rooftop bars in the past two years — and rash of city skyline selfies on Instagram. Bars without a city view are making their own with neon signs and other artwork — particularly during the COVID-19 outbreak when customers are being more cautious about when and where they go out — in an effort to capture the public’s drinking dollars.

Andy Palacios, who opened the downtown bar Tony’s Siesta at the tail end of 2020, doesn’t mince words about the importance of the tiny alcove within his bar that features an orange-cushioned bench below a neon sign reading “Besos.”

“I wouldn’t put it past that sign as one of the reasons we’ve been so resilient and able to stay open. Without that being one of our staples, I can’t guarantee 100 percent we’d still be here,” he said.

Customers have shared photos of themselves in the hazy red glow of that sign

Robin Jerstad / Contributor The view of Hemisfair Park and the Tower of the Americas is a draw at the Fairmount Rooftop Oyster Bar.

Screen grab The view from the Fairmount Rooftop Oyster Bar pops up in countless photos on social media.

Screen grab Instagram photos from Cherrity Bar often feature the city’s skyline in the background.

Robin Jerstad / Contributor Customers flock to the “Besos” neon sign at Tony’s Siesta.