APPLETON – A College Avenue tequila lounge has moved locations, but it hasn't gone far.
Calavera’s Fine Fusions, formerly located at 528 W. College Ave., moved across the street into the former Slackers Restaurant & Bar building at the end of May. Slackers closed in January 2022.
Owners Bekki and Edgar Garcia first opened Calavera's in August 2021. The couple was inspired during the pandemic to bring a larger-city feel to Appleton by opening a tequila bar.
Bekki Garcia said the lounge emulates the latest trends and nightclubs in Mexico, based on research done by Edgar Garcia who is originally from Celaya, Mexico.
The lounge focuses on serving tequila-based drinks but other alcoholic options include whiskey and bourbon.
"We are more like a craft cocktail lounge with a higher-end experience," Bekki Garcia said. "It's a completely different experience from your typical Wisconsin bars."
She attributed the move to building issues that made the former building a poor fit for the business. She said moving has also allowed the couple to expand, as the new space is 6,000 square feet, more than twice the size of the former location.
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While Calavera's did not previously offer food options, Bekki Garcia said the move and access to a restaurant-quality kitchen has allowed them to begin putting together a food menu. She said Edgar Garcia is currently designing a tapas-style menu, which is expected to launch by the end of June.
The former Slackers building has seen some changes since Calavera's moved in with new decor, updated lighting and curtains added to the booth seating. In the coming months, the owners also plan to change the flooring, add in a dance floor and build a stage for live music.
Bekki Garcia said moving across the street has already increased the number of people visiting Calavera's, something she attributes to the visibility of the space and more foot traffic.
"This last month has been very interesting just to see the crowd change, and the clientele change," Bekki Garcia said. "I really hope that it just continues to grow even bigger and better, and I think once we do food, it's only going to make it even more amazing."
More information about Calavera's, including drink features, can be found online at calaverasfinefusions.com or on its Facebook page.
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Alexandria Bursiek Kloehn is a business reporter for the Appleton Post-Crescent. You can reach her at abursiekkloehn@gannett.com or view her Twitter profile at @bursiekkloehn.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: An Appleton tequila bar moved locations and is adding food menu