Hard Rock Cafe in Downtown Phoenix Is Closing in February

Hard Rock Cafe is leaving the downtown Phoenix stage. The Valley’s long-running location of the theme restaurant chain, which is located at Second and Jefferson streets, is set to close early next year

Raise your lighters in tribute, y’all.

A statement released by the restaurant’s parent company, Hard Rock International, on Tuesday announced that the downtown Phoenix location will shut down on February 28.

No explanation about why the restaurant was closing was included.

The Hard Rock Cafe chain first came to Phoenix in 1995 when it opened a location at 26th Street and Camelback Road. A dispute with the landowner led to the restaurant moving to downtown Phoenix in 2002.

It became one of the first high-profile restaurants near Chase Field and Talking Stick Resort Arena, back when they were respectively known as Bank One Ballpark and America West Arena, and boasts a kick-ass neon sign above its front door that’s fashioned in the shape of a Gibson Flying V guitar.

Like every other Hard Rock Cafe location, Phoenix’s version was equal parts museum, music venue, and eatery. It featured a collection of memorabilia ranging from a stage costume worn by Justin Timberlake from his NSYNC days to an autographed Tom Petty jacket. There was also a collection of classic guitars and rock ‘n’ roll vintage ephemera throughout the place.

Hard Rock's stage also hosted gigs by a number of local and touring bands during its two-decade lifespan, including participating in the first edition of the now-defunct Viva PHX music festival in 2014.