Tempe’s Danelle Plaza and Yucca Tap Room damaged by microburst

A powerful microburst caused by remnants of Hurricane Priscilla slammed into Tempe on Monday, damaging homes, businesses and property citywide. Several tenants at the landmark Danelle Plaza were also hit hard, including Main On Mill Smoke Shop and Yucca Tap Room.

The microburst tore off large portions of the roof over Yucca Tap’s lounge, owner Rodney Hu says. It also knocked out power overnight at the beloved Tempe bar and caused water damage as rain poured through the ceiling.

“It was all really bad,” Hu told Phoenix New Times by text message on Monday.

Yucca Tap’s main room reopened for business on Tuesday. Hu told New Times on Monday that the bar’s staff is still taking stock of the damage.

“We are still trying to assess it all,” Hu says.

The storm damage loss didn’t stop Yucca Tap Room from serving patrons after the Tempe microburst hit on Monday. The bar continued cash-only beer sales in the dark following the power outage.

“We eventually closed when the power didn’t come on so we don’t get in trouble with the health department,” Hu says.

News of Yucca Tap’s damage spread online after the microburst. The bar’s social media even poked fun at the situation in a post on Monday night.

“The lights went out, the whispers began, and somehow half of Tempe thinks Yucca collapsed,” the post read. “Spoiler: we didn’t.”

Damage at Main On Mill, formerly known as Sky High Smoke Shop, next door appeared to be much worse. Photos posted to social media on Monday showed the shop’s ceiling wrecked and its floor littered with debris.

New Times was unable to reach anyone at the store for comment on the damage.

Yucca Tap and Main On Mill weren’t the only Danelle Plaza spots affected by the 60 to 70 mph microburst. Rocket Space Gallery’s Kyllan Maney told New Times that glass in a plaza art display shattered but was immediately boarded up. Hu says Electric Bat Arcade also suffered minor damage.

Hu told New Times that the aftermath of the storm has made support of Yucca Tap by the community more important than ever.

“The big takeaway is we really need everybody’s support during this difficult time,” he says.

Danelle Plaza currently faces pending redevelopment into high-density retail and housing while keeping its current businesses. Tempe City Council will vote Thursday on a rezoning request for the property as a part of the redevelopment process.

Monday’s microburst damage gave fans of Danelle Plaza license to worry about the future of the beloved Tempe arts and music hub.

“City of Tempe is gonna be ready to bulldoze it all. Be ready,” Tempe resident Josh Smusz stated in a Facebook post on Monday.