The Agua Caliente Plaza in north Scottsdale hasn't exactly been a place where nightspots have flourished as of late. Three separate clubs have come and gone from its boundaries in the past two years, including sexed-up burlesque palace Minx, the Asian-inspired Taste Ultra Lounge, and the swanky Black Card Ultralounge.
With that kind of history, it should be no surprise that the upscale North Scottsdale shopping park (located near Shea Boulevard and Scottsdale Road) has occasionally been referred to as "the place where clubs go to die."
Former Devil's Martini managers Steve Sabol and Shaun Bauer are confident they'll reverse that particular curse with their new venture Angels and Outlaws, which opens to the public on June 25.
And how, pray tell, are they gonna do that?
Their plan, says Sabol, was to create an attractive nightlife destination place that's a less- ostentatious and more cost-effective alternative to a typical Snottsdale club. It means that the pair won't be bombarding clubgoers with advertisements for world-class DJs, charging overpriced covers, or even extorting patrons to cough up some serious scrilla for a bottle of Cris."We're very much against the whole of bottle service trend, where you have to make a deal to get inside somewhere," he says. "If you wanna come in and sit down, you do just that and the waitresses aren't gonna hassle you to buy some $200 bottle of vodka."
Well drinks are only $6 and they aren't planning on charging a cover. But such discount measures don't mean that the clubs going to be a bargain basement operation. Far from it.
Functioning as more of a lounge during the early evening hours, Sabol and Bauer envision A&O as a place where you "can come to have a few drinks or something to eat and end up dancing away the rest of the night."
They're also pushing it as a "stylish and intimate" spot with a décor scheme that's dominated by warm, earth tone colors. A large patio and outdoor bar will eventually by ringed by tall greenery, offering a darkened sanctuary perfect for anyone wishing to engage in a little "bad" behavior.
Speaking of which, the walls will also be punctuated with numerous large black-and-white snapshots of girls and boys who both naughty or nice and good, which Sabol says "plays with the idea that there's "good and bad in everybody."
Let's hope the public digs the concept.
A&O will fete its grand opening on June 25-26 with a swanky celebration. Doors open at 8 p.m. each night. Visit their Web site or Myspace for full details.