Thanin Viriyaki
Since it opened in 2014, Lisa and Phil Adams’ Near Southside bar Proper has come to establish itself as the quintessential neighborhood bar, a quiet, quaint place where locals sit, sip, and chat. Bars like Proper are few and far between and hark back to a time before noisy sports bars and bars and grills dominated the drinking landscape; if you just want to sit and read a book at Proper, no one — and nothing — is going to bug you.
Unintentionally or not, Proper pays homage to Fort Worth classic bar-bars like J&J’s Hideaway and the Black Dog Tavern. That was the vibe the couple had in mind when they opened Proper 11 years ago, taking a chance on a slice of Magnolia Avenue that hadn’t quite been redeveloped yet.
“We had very little money, and our bar stock was limited,” Lisa recalls. “Things have changed a lot. I think you can still see the original pictures on the website of when we started. The neighborhood guided us. We just listened to them.”
Prior to Proper, Lisa had spent years in the corporate world. But she also had plenty of experience in the bar and hospitality industry. “Dairy Queen was my first job, then I moved on to pizza joints — I can make a decent pizza. At some point after high school, I started cocktail waitressing — now called serving.”
Thanin Viriyaki
She made her way around the bar scene in Arlington and Mansfield, working at places such as Hollywood Nights and Boot Scootin’ in Mansfield. She met her husband Phil while working at the Pig & Whistle on Eighth Street.
“Phil helps out at Proper bar a lot. He’s the backbone of all things repairs, maintenance, and whatever I happen to boo-hoo about. What most people don’t know? He built Proper. Everything except the HVAC and plumbing — he did it all. Growing up in the construction world made the building process second nature to him. Honestly, he’s one of the smartest people I know.”
Lisa says Proper revolves around one of her true loves: art. A gallery wall displays art from local artists. Unlike some businesses that take a cut or commission from artwork sales, Lisa says if a piece of art sells, the artist gets all the money. Proper also hosts “sip and paint” events in which attendees can do just that.
Over the past two years, the future of Proper has been a bit foggy, though. Lisa recently battled breast cancer, keeping her away from the bar. After months of treatment, she’s now cancer-free and stronger than ever, she says.
“Have you ever heard of the Yellow Corvette syndrome? You buy a yellow Corvette — or any car — and suddenly, you see them everywhere,” she says. “Before, I thought cancer was like that — something that happened to other people, distant and rare. Get your boobies checked.”
But there are things she knows she can’t beat, one of which is time. As the Near Southside continues to grow at an exponential rate, it’s getting harder and harder, she says, to compete in this increasingly crowded market without the ability to do food. “We’ve been searching for a larger space for a while now — ideally, something with a kitchen, more seating, and room for private events,” she says. “Unfortunately, that’s not an option in our current location. Our landlord has tried to help, but there’s just no way to make it work with the footprint we have.”
Whether the move happens soon or sometime down the road, Lisa says they want to remain in the Near Southside.
“Wherever we move, it has to have the same heart, the same character, the same warmth that our guests love,” she says. “Good parking would be a bonus, but we’re not holding our breath on that.”
409 W. Magnolia Ave., propermagnolia.com
