The Scottsdale location for the national piano bar chain closed sometime in the past few days after only being open for about six months.
Cruise by its somewhat hard-to-find location off Camelback Road in Old Town and you'll see all the telltale signs of a shut down: There's a "for sale" sign from a local real estate company pimping its availability, a form letter from the Maricopa County Environmental Services has been taped to a window, and it's exterior signage has been removed.
If there were piano players still employed by the sing-a-long joint, they'd probably be tickling out a sad song or two on the ivories.
According to the PHX Biz Journal, the braintrust at Howl at the Moon's national headquarters decided to ax the location (the only one of its kind in these parts) after determining that running a franchise in the Southwest was "geographically undesirable." Obviously The Big Bang has done quite well in Tempe, so we're not sure what that means. Is this a case of too much competition or not enough sophisticated customers?
To read the recent tweet of azvibe, however, indicated there might've been some other probs involved with the place: "RIP: Howl at the Moon in Old Town Scottsdale - Great idea, great show, over priced cover/food/VIP tables. Not surprised you're closed."
Howl debuted in the spot (which previously held such nightspots as Lyte Lounge) in October of last year after effecting an $800,000 renovation of the property.
