The Clare House was built in 1918. From 2009 to 2022, the small building and its flower-filled garden were the home of Bergies Coffee Roast House.
When the coffee shop closed, the property located on Gilbert Road between Vaughn and Page avenues, was sold to Utah-based developer Wags Capital. Then, plans were announced to build the latest location of the restaurant and nightclub Bottled Blonde on the land, meaning the historic house would be demolished to make way for a new two-story building.
The plans sparked controversy in the Heritage District, which is increasingly full of bars and restaurants. Efforts began to raise money to move the historic house out of the way of the wrecking ball.
But then, in November 2024, the plans for the land took a drastic turn. Aaron Wagner of Wags Capital was arrested by the F.B.I. and faced federal charges, including wire fraud and money laundering. Following the arrest, Evening Entertainment Group, the local company that runs Bottled Blonde, canceled its plans to build in Gilbert.
So, the former coffee shop has sat, surrounded by a metal fence, for months. Rumors swirled about what may become of the historic house that many worked to save. And now, its next chapter is about to begin.
Meet Clare House Social
Clare House Social, a new concept by the founder of Prep & Pastry, is slated to open by the end of the year. Nathan Ares, a partner with Ares Collective restaurant group, purchased the cottage in June. Ares owns breakfast and brunch restaurant Prep & Pastry, which has two locations in Tucson and one in Old Town Scottsdale. In 2023, he opened a fourth location in Gilbert that shared a patio with Bergie’s. Ares closed that location in preparation to open Clare House Social.
For the two structures and the patio they share, Ares envisions a welcoming venue with a huge pergola, small outdoor bar, TVs for game watching and a window where customers can order simple and satisfying shareables, burgers, salads and prime rib dip sandwiches.
“I saw the opportunity to create a really fun, upbeat gathering concept,” Ares says.
Ares also recently closed his popular Tucson sit-down establishment Commoner & Co. and is moving that concept to the Cooley Station area of Gilbert with a scheduled opening date in early 2026.
Clare House Social
Opening later this year309 N. Gilbert Road, Gilbert
