July marked the end for both longtime and newly opened restaurants and bars in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Gilbert and Mesa.
A popular Japanese restaurant closed after four decades, an art bar went up for sale and a rock ‘n’ roll-inspired bar shuttered without notice. Some relatively new bars and restaurants that survived the dark days of the pandemic said goodbye.
While most businesses communicated their intention to close on social media, a few closed without warning or explanation, leaving customers and employees shocked and disappointed. Two already have new owners.
Here’s a look at all the metro Phoenix restaurants and bars that closed recently.
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This rock ’n’ roll-inspired cocktail bar on Seventh Street in Phoenix closed after three and a half years. Owner Kurt Johnson did not announce his decision to close on social media or the bar’s now-defunct website. The doors are now locked, and the space is listed with Edge Realty Partners.
In a July 1 Facebook post, owners Fabrice and Mairead Buschetetz, wrote that June 30 was the restaurant’s last day. Located at the corner of Warner and Greenfield roads in Gilbert, the restaurant opened just before the pandemic in 2020.
“We thought we wouldn’t survive, but we did and we have thrived for the past three years,” the post read. “As a family-owned restaurant, we always operate on the premise that family comes first. When our daughter Laura announced she is expecting her first child, we decided the time was right to end one chapter and begin a new one.”
It went on to announce that Jennifer and Will Tews took over the space and plan to open Holiday Toast & Tap.
The beloved downtown art bar located in a 1920s bungalow announced in June that it would close for the month. Though owner David Cameron told The Republic that he planned to reopen the bar for July’s First Friday, by the end of June, he instead listed it for sale. According to Cameron, the bar saw a massive decline and didn’t do as well as he had hoped. Cameron originally asked for $195,000; however, the price is currently listed as $150,000 on ArizonaRestaurantSales.com.
Sunnyslope neighborhood restaurant Sister Helen, located at the corner of 19th and Northern avenues, has closed. The restaurant first opened in 2020 in a building that formerly housed The Good Shepherd Home for Girls catholic school from 1942 to 1981. The restaurant offered small bites and hosted supper clubs. At the end of 2021, Little Spring Provisions (formerly Pig and the Peanut) partnered with Sister Helen and moved into the space to incorporate more Arizona ingredients into the menu. Both businesses’ websites are now defunct, and Sister Helen is listed as permanently closed.
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After eight years in business, this Mesa restaurant announced in a July 5 Facebook post that it would close on July 16 as the building that housed the restaurant had sold. “PLEASE COME AND SAY FAREWELL TO US. WE WANT TO SEE YOU,” the owner wrote. “We miss you already!”
“We love steak and stone!” wrote Jeannie Marie Nelson. “We were there last night. Please open in a different location. Good luck to you and your staff.”
Shogun Japanese Restaurant at the northeast corner of Tatum Boulevard and Cactus Road in Phoenix closed in July. “It is with heavy hearts and profound sadness to have to announce the permanent closing of our beloved Shogun,” read a social media post from July 8. “We have had an amazing 40 years. Thank you for your loyalty.”
Sushi Roku, located inside W Scottsdale closed on July 31 after 15 years. According to a news release, the decision to close Sushi Roko came after its parent company, Innovative Dining Group, and W Hotels were unable to reach an agreement after the lease expired.
Reach the reporter at BAnooshahr@azcentral.com. Follow @banooshahr on Twitter.