You already may have seen the sign in the window of the building at 220 East Roosevelt Street in downtown Phoenix, but, according to Troy Watkins, it's going to be a few more months until the newest restaurant on Roosevelt Row is ready to open its doors.
Called The Dressing Room, the restaurant will serve a menu of what partners Watkins and Kyu Utsunomiya are calling "elevated shack food" -- as in breakfast sandwiches, burritos, and more.
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The name is an homage to the building's history as a dressing room for Phoenix's first drag bar, once located next door. More recently, the space has been used for various purposes including as a show space for local band Wooden Indian.
Watkins and Utsunomiya plan to renovate the space to add a bar, small front patio, and a larger covered back patio where there's currently a parking lot. In addition, the restaurant will be taking over the space currently occupied by Songbird Coffee.
(Don't worry though -- in case you didn't hear, Songbird is relocating to a new, freestanding building at 812 North Third Street.)
Part of the funding for the renovations came through a Kickstarter campaign that helped the partners raise more than $38,000. The campaign ended in February, but you can still check out the video in order to get a visual of what they plan to do to the building.
The current Songbird space, which opens into MonOrchid art gallery, will remain a coffee and breakfast spot for the most part, Watkins says. You'll be able to order from The Dressing Room menu throughout the two spaces, and they'll be joined by a pass through, but what's now Songbird will have a separate name -- the partners just haven't decided on it yet.
Together, Watkins and Utsunomiya have more than 40 years of experience in the restaurant industry, though this will be their first venture owning a restaurant. Most recently, Watkins worked for local restaurant group Upward Projects, including as a manager for Postino.
According to Watkins, The Dressing Room should be open by early June. Keep an eye on the Dressing Room Facebook page for updates.
