When Angela Panzica moved to Huntsville, Alabama from Florida around five years ago, she immediately saw the demand for change in the downtown scene of Huntsville and had a vision for how she could help.

Angela described Huntsville’s nightlife and downtown scene as “poised for a cultural Renaissance” marked by the thousands of people moving to the burgeoning city. Inspiration came easy, as many Huntsville citizens and close friends had truly vivid ideas on how they wanted the Rocket City to grow.

“Coming from a bigger city around five years ago, I felt like Huntsville was on the brink of a major cultural change. I heard from so many people what they wanted from Huntsville, and I was really inspired by my travels and experiences in bigger cities, so it became really easy to open a new bar downtown. It was Huntsville’s time, and I wanted to be a part of that growth,” said Angela.

Angela Panzica discussing the current development for the Blind Tiger at 113 Clinton with a representative of Turner Construction

Angela opened Stella’s Elixir Lounge in December 2020, and with the open air concept and two balconies, she had no trouble working with social distancing guidelines during COVID. Stella’s would eventually grow to be a staple that marked Huntsville’s continued downtown nightlife scene.

As COVID began to wane, ideas continued to grow and visions began to change. Huntsville citizens asked for more.

“People started asking for private events and small parties, and even though we can accommodate these at Stella’s, we wanted to keep this place constantly open to the public and keep the flow going rather than shut this place down for a private event,” said Angela.

This challenged her to solidify what Stella’s meant to her and to Huntsville, and sparked a new idea for a niche event space in the heart of downtown: the Blind Tiger.

The “Blind Tiger” is a prohibition term that harkens back to a 1920s signal for speakeasies. During the prohibition era, storefronts in cities would sometimes have images of animals hidden throughout the store that, when found by knowing people, indicated a speakeasy nearby.

The vibe of the Blind Tiger builds off of this idea. When the location officially opens, the front of the event space will feature a facade storefront with a hallway leading to the event room in the back. Patrons will immediately notice the full service bar to their left, a key center piece to the location.

The two locations, the Blind Tiger and Stella’s, although both owned and managed by Dyestone Hospitality Group, host entirely different purposes and vibes. Angela describes Stella’s as more laid back and able to accommodate a variety of different events and styles. The Blind Tiger plans to offer an entirely unique experience.

“The event space, which will be uniquely catered toward small to medium sized events, will be much different that an average dance hall. The idea is to create a more upscale, sophisticated feel that will help create a singular experience for patrons. This idea will allow Stella’s to retain its core identity while creating the foundation for something entirely new. At the Blind Tiger, we want to offer a truly VIP experience,” said Angela.

The future home of the Blind Tiger at 113 Clinton Avenue in downtown HSV

But most important to Angela is what this new development means for Huntsville.

“It’s about building a culture in Huntsville and building a distinguished event space. It is really important for me that people understand that the Blind Tiger is its own entity. There are other stores, bars, and places across the U.S. named the ‘Blind Tiger’, but we are not affiliated with them. This idea came from a local, woman-owned small business here in town, which to me makes this a truly Huntsville project and will be a part of Huntsville’s culture,” said Angela.

The Blind Tiger will be located at 113 Clinton Avenue next to the Russell Erskine building in downtown Huntsville. The project is slated for completion this Fall. Dyestone Hospitality Group owns and will operate the event space, and Turner Construction is the leading contractor for the development.

The Huntsville Business Journal team will provide updates in the near future. Stay tuned to our social media, newspaper, and daily newsletter for more information.