Designed by the architectural firm 5G Studio Collaborative, Shyboy Hi-Fi\u2019s<\/a> brutalist-inspired space features James Turrell-esque light installations on the ceiling and behind the DJ booth. A Lachlan Turczan<\/a> piece takes pride of place in the vestibule of the original 1920s vault, transforming sound waves into movement at the top of a water basin.<\/p>\n Custom-built speakers by Devon Turnbull of OJAS (who has previously collaborated with brands like Prada and Supreme) assure the sound will be as crystal-clear as possible when Shyboy opens this fall. Merla, who has also traveled across the U.S. to explore hi-fi bars from coast to coast, says he has amassed a collection of \u201cextremely rare records,\u201d from Philip Glass to Leonard Bernstein.<\/p>\n \u201cWe wanted to be agnostic about the music,\u201d he says. \u201cOne night you can show up and it\u2019ll be a Japanese city pop night, then on the weekend we might have Theo Parrish playing Chicago house. There\u2019s this breadth of programming.\u201d<\/p>\n With \u201cdemocratic\u201d cocktail pricing (drinks start at $13) and rare cover fees, Shyboy is intended to be as egalitarian as possible. And Merla hopes the spot\u2019s tagline, \u201cThe Sound That Makes You Feel,\u201d will resonate for listeners of all tastes and ages.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of work has gone into this thing, but at the end of the day, it\u2019s just a place to hear good music,\u201d Merla says. \u201cThe music is what matters most.\u201d<\/p>\n Arts Access is an arts journalism collaboration powered by The Dallas Morning News and KERA.<\/p>\n This community-funded journalism initiative is funded by the Better Together Fund, Carol & Don Glendenning, City of Dallas OAC, The University of Texas at Dallas, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Eugene McDermott Foundation, James & Gayle Halperin Foundation, Jennifer & Peter Altabef and The Meadows Foundation. The News and KERA retain full editorial control of Arts Access\u2019 journalism.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n