Phoenix and Tempe may soon be losing two beloved watering holes, as developers eye the lucrative call of high-rises over neighborhood nooks. Half Moon Windy City Sports Grill in Phoenix is slated to make its final pour on February 12, bowing out after 18 years to make way for a new apartment complex, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix. Co-owner Clay Moizo lamented the closure but noted the landlord's pivot to a “more profitable and a better business model” centered on housing.
Meanwhile, the future of Devil’s Advocate, a popular bar near Arizona State University’s Tempe campus, hangs in the balance with a proposal for a high-rise development looming. According to Arizona’s Family, Scottsdale-based Aspirant Development has proposed constructing two residential towers where the bar currently stands, with a public hearing scheduled with the Tempe City Council, this Thursday.
The imminent shutdown of Half Moon Windy City Sports Grill has regulars and employees bracing for the change. "We've had a lot of great Chicago sports people roll through here, along with some alumni from Florida State and Alabama," Moizo told FOX 10 Phoenix. Transition plans include downsizing the menu, cutting prices, and finding new gigs for roughly 30 staffers. The bar won't go quietly, planning a farewell bash on February 10 to mark its long-standing community role.
Tempe’s Devil’s Advocate, known for its lively atmosphere and student patronage, is also under threat but has some breathing room with a lease running through 2029. ASU senior Nick Ritchie shared his concern with Arizona’s Family, praising the bar's role in forging connections among students. Bar owner Jarred Stetser, an ASU alum himself, is determined to use the remaining lease years to their fullest.
Residents express mixed emotions, acknowledging the inevitability of development while mourning the loss of local charm. Tempe local Tucker Dunn described the push towards upscale apartments as a detriment to the “community feel” that makes areas like Tempe unique. The developments represent a broader tension between urban growth and the preservation of local haunts serving as community staples for cities in flux.
