06/17/2026
Sometimes you wonder…
If FloBama closed tomorrow, would anyone notice?
Would anyone miss it?
Would anyone even care?
Then our uncle sends us something like this.
This month, Garden & Gun Magazine featured Florence as one of the South’s great music destinations and mentioned FloBama as a place where visitors can experience the Shoals music scene and catch some of the region’s most talented musicians.
Sixteen years ago, when we first dreamed of opening FloBama, most banks didn’t believe in the idea actually all the banks turned us down.
Many people thought it wouldn’t work. But we believed our community deserved a place where live music, good food, and good people could come together.
That's where our slogan was born "Eat, Listen, Enjoy"
Over the years, we’ve watched thousands of songs performed, over 7500 FREE events put on, friendships formed, celebrations shared, and memories made.
We’ve hosted everyone from local songwriters to musicians who’ve played on some of the biggest stages in the world.
We have helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars, food, Christmas gifts, high school and little league sports sponsorships, and benefits for those less fortunate or going through something traumatic.
This week I returned from the NIVA (National Independent Venue Association) Conference in Minneapolis looking for answers. Like many independent venues across America, we’ve felt the impact of changing habits, rising costs, and the challenges that have followed the pandemic.
What I learned was both comforting and concerning:
We are not alone. 🫣
Nearly 78% of independent music venues reported operating in the red last year.
The truth is that live music venues everywhere are fighting to survive. Not because people don’t love music, but because the economics of keeping stages alive have changed dramatically.
Every ticket purchased.
Every meal ordered.
Every drink shared with friends.
Every show attended.
Every like, share, tag, photo taken, review given and friend invited.
It all matters more than most people realize.
When you support a local venue, you’re not just buying dinner or listening to a band. You’re helping create opportunities for musicians, giving people a place to gather, and preserving a piece of what makes the Shoals Music Heritage so special.
So when I see FloBama mentioned in a national publication alongside the incredible music history of the Shoals, I’m reminded that maybe what we’ve built matters more than I sometimes realize.
And if one day FloBama wasn’t here, maybe a few people would notice after all.
We’re going to keep fighting for live music, keep adapting, keep learning, and keep doing everything we can to ensure that sixteen years of hard work doesn’t become a memory.
We can't do this alone unfortunately it takes a community that truly supports live music in person not just in your mind.
If you love live music, support the places that make it possible.
Not just FloBama.
All of them.
Because once these stages go dark, they’re much harder to bring back.
❤️🎶
Thank you to all of our fans for supporting live music, local musicians, and independent venues.
After this 10 days trip I'm ready to come back and figure out how to make this work so any ideas, thoughts, suggestions, and/or criticism welcome by sending message to [email protected] and trust me I'll take it serious.
