The evolution of the barstool goes all the back to before the Cowboys and Indians. What started off as a tradition to sit around the fire soon developed into people sitting on logs around the fire, followed by stumps and then chairs. Barstools first made their notable debut during the saloon era. With small towns popping up, the idea of social life began to emerge and so did the bar stool. The bar or counter stool was a chair that was easy to get on and off and did not have to be moved or maneuvered to enter or exit its surface. Barstools were also practical in their height. The bars themselves had to be at least waist high to the bartender in order allow an easy pour for the bartender, and to create a big enough barrier to keep people from stealing the goods from behind the bar. The only problem was they needed a chair that was comfortable, practical, and high enough to reach the bar; enter the barstool. This stool was perfect in height and was easily accessible for everyone.
The modern stool has needed a few adaptations to keep up with the times, and because of that today we have many different styles of stools. The swivel bar stool was a great adaptation, especially for barstools that were permanently fixed in one position. This allows the patron to turn around 360 degrees to talk or simply to scan their surroundings. The swivel barstool was not just for fixed stools however, as this craze took the seventies and eighties by storm and lasted long through the nineties all the way to today. The backless stool is the traditional stool, but then there were those who demand a stool with back support. The bar and counter stools with back support became popular in homes and gardens, but never really took off in the bar scene. Of course, barstools with backs really are more like tall skinny chairs, and do make it more difficult to get on and off of it in crowded environments.
Counter Stools Chicago
There are many different styles of bar stools, but their origins all come from the same place. Not only has the barstool changed but so did its function. We now have indoor barstools, outdoor barstools, home barstools, décor barstools, and of course the traditional bar barstool. Regardless of your barstool style, odds are this process of evolution is far from over. What does the future of barstools hold? Only time will tell.