Turns out most folks do want to sit on the couch before you buy it. Joybird, the direct-to-consumer furniture brand known for customizable, colorful upholstery, has opened its first San Antonio-area Partner Studio inside Furniture Row in Selma at 5380 I-35 North — the latest sign that disruptive internet brands are rediscovering the showroom.

Joybird has probably popped up on most locals’ Instagram feeds. The company started as an online company selling customizable midcentury modern furnishings in 2014, quickly gaining traction with a young customer base that graduated from Ikea.

La-Z-Boy acquired the brand in 2018, keeping the original operational team, but slowly shifting from Eames-era minimalism to a more contemporary style. While tapered legs and other midcentury hallmarks remain in the line, it has now gone all in on deep-seated designs similar to RH’s oft-imitated The Cloud couch.

The Selma capsule shop won’t feature the broader line that its Austin counterpoint does. Instead, shoppers will be able to see (and sit on) Joybird’s top sellers. An in-store team will be on hand to help with customization, configuration, and space planning.

"Joybird is a brand our customers have been following for years, and we wanted to give them the opportunity to truly experience it in person," said Bill Smith, General Manager of Furniture Row, in a release. "Being able to sit in the pieces, feel the fabrics, and experience the quality up close makes a real difference."

The Joybird studio joins a long list of digital-native brands that are operating IRL storefronts in San Antonio. Many of them are clustered at The Shops at La Cantera, including Alo Yoga, Mizzen + Main, and Warby Parker, which will soon open its second Alamo City location near Alamo Heights.