Phoenix Retropolitan

Marshall Shore, a former New Yorker, knows more about Phoenix history than most natives. Like the fact that Mr. Lucky’s was intended to be Arizona’s first casino, Wayne Newton was a regular performer at Bill Johnson’s Big Apple, or that the My Florist sign is purple because the former flower...

By Laura Hahnefeld

February 11, 2010

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "18478561",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "16759093",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759092",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759094",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        }
      ]

Marshall Shore, a former New Yorker, knows more about Phoenix history than most natives. Like the fact that Mr. Lucky’s was intended to be Arizona’s first casino, Wayne Newton was a regular performer at Bill Johnson’s Big Apple, or that the My Florist sign is purple because the former flower shop’s owner loved the color so much that she donned a purple dress every day and drove a purple car.

Shore, a self-proclaimed information curator, will expose more historic gems during the Phoenix Retro Spectacular in what he hopes will be the first of an ongoing monthly series on Phoenix antiquity. The inaugural talk is “The Mother Road of the Valley: Grand Avenue.” Listeners and fellow tale-tellers can sit on vintage furniture, drink wine, and learn about their neighborhoods through stories and images.

“If we understand what we’ve got,” says Shore, “it will make us realize the importance of saving it.”

Thu., Feb. 11, 7-8 p.m., 2010

Become A Member

BEFORE YOU GO...
Can you help us continue to share our stories? Since the beginning, Phoenix New Times has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix — and we'd like to keep it that way. Our members allow us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls.